GIFT   OF 
Benjamin     Ide    7/hoeler 


A  Manual  of  Mythology. 

In  the  form  of  question  and  answer.    By  Rev.  G.  W 

Cox,  M.  A.     16mo,  illustrated.    $1. 

From  Prof.  Max  Mullens  Chips  from  a  German  Workshop. 

"  Having  undertaken  to  tell  what  can  be  told,  in  two  hundred  pages, 
of  classical  mythology,  he  has  chosen  the  most  important,  the  . 
instructive,  and  the  most  attractive  portions  of  his  subject.    Thonirh 
necessarily  leaving  large  pieces  of  his  canvas  mere  blanks  or  co\ 
with  the  faintest  outlines,  he  has  given  to  some  of  his  sketches  more 
life  and  expression  than  can  be  found  in  many  a  lengthy  article  con- 
tributed to  cyclopedias  and  other  works  of  reference.    But  while  Mr. 
Cox  has  thus  stinted  himself  in  telling  the  tales  of'Greek  r.nd  Roman 
mythology,  he  has  made  room  for  what  is  an  entirely  new  feature  ii 
Manual— namely,  the  explanations  of  Greek  and  Roaian  myths,  supplied 

by  the  researches  of  comparative  mythologists That;; 

researches,  so  well  summed  up  in  Mr.  Cox's  *  Manual  of  Mytholog 
are  in  the  main  tending  in  the  right  direction,  is,  we  believe,  admitt 
by  all  whose  opinion  on  such  matters  carries  much  weight." 

From  the  spectator. 

"  This  new  Manual  of  Mythol'.yy  treats  the  whole  subject  of  the  Greek 
and  Latin  mythologies,  wit1  short  notices  of  those  of  other  nation*  ; 
and  adopt*  Prof.  Max  M5ii<  i  of  interpretation.  .  .  .  This 

treatment  of  luj-t-.holor/  ia  &  hold  attempt  in  the  right  direction,  and 
Mr.  Cox  deserves  tut;  best  thanks  of  educational  reformers  for  his  bold- 
ness in  putting  mythology  in  the  sort  of  dress  it  will  wear  to  our  chil- 
dren." 

From  the  Saturday  Review. 

"  In  a  former  article  we  did  our  best  to  warn  schoolmasters,  goyarn- 
e^ses,  and  conscientious  mothers,  against  Hort's  Manual  of  Mythology. 
We  are  glad  that,  after  telling  them  what  to  avoid,  w-.>  can  likew 
them  what  to  choose.  Mr.  Cox's  Manual  of  Mythology  is  the  work  of 
a  scholar  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  sources  of  classical  mythology. 
.  .  .  That  he  is  able  to  sympathize  with  the  ancient  stories  of 
Greece,  and  to  repeat  them  with  truthfulness  and  vividness,  nay,  with 
the  warmth  of  a  poet,  he  has  amply  proved  by  his  former  publications, 
the  Tales  from  Greek  Mythology,  the  Tales  of  the  Gods  and  Heroes,  aric 
the  Tales  of  Thebes  and  Argoe."  [See  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece  below. 
tl  It  does  Mr.  Cox  the  greatest  credit  that  in  his  Manual  Q}' Mythology  lu 
has  availed  himself  so  fully  of  all  the  new  light  which  the  researches  oi1 
comparative  mythologists  have  shed  on  the  sacred  traditions  of  Greece 
and  Rome." 

(In  Preparation — By  the  same  Author. ) 
Tales  of  Ancient  Greece. 

Consisting  of  the  author's  "Tales  from  Greek  Mythology,"  "Tal 
of  the  Gods  and  Heroes,"  and  "  Tales  of  Thebes  and  Argos/'  rewrittei 
and  rearranged  in  one  volume.    See  remarks  on  these  books  in  notice 
of  Cox's  Mythology,  quoted  above  from  the  Saturday  Review. 

The  Mythology  of  the  Aryan  Nations. 
A  History  of  Greece. 

• .  •    u 


A    MANUAL 


OP 


MYTHOLOG-Y 


IN  THE  FORM  OF  QJJESTION  AND  ANSWER. 


BY  THE 

REV.    GEOEGE   W.   COX,  M.  A., 

LATE   SCHOLAR  OF  TRINITY   COLLEGE,   OXFORD. 


First  American,  from  the  Second  London  Edition. 


NEW  YORK: 
LEYPOLDT    &    HOLT. 

1868. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  18(58, 

BY  LEYPOLDT  &  HOLT, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
Southern  District  of  New  York. 


t.     i 

«.  « 

it 


,        i  >      >    *  e  <    ' 

Stereotyped  by  LITTLE,  RKNNIE  &  Co., 
430  Broome  St.,  New  York. 


CONTENTS. 


PA  OK 

Advertisement  7 

Preface 9 

The  Origin  and  Growth  of  Mythology 21 

GREEK  MYTHOLOGY 29 

Zeus 29 

Poseidon 37 

Hades 42 

Hera,  or  Hera 45 

Hestia 48 

Demel6r , 51 

Athene",  or  Athena 58 

Ares 63 

Aphrodite 67 

HephaBstus 72 

Pho3bus  Apollo    75 

Artemis 83 

Hermes 85 

Dionysus 95 

Heracles 100 

Perseus 110 

Theseus   121 

CEdipus 125 

Procris 135 

Orpheus 138 

Europa 141 

Meleagros  (Melcager)  144 


417192 


4  CONTENTS. 

GREEK  MYTHOLOGY—  PAGB 

Phaethon 148 

Asklepios  (^Esculapius) 151 

Admetus 154 

Lycaon 155 

Deucalion 158 

lo 162 

Epimetheus 166 

Daedalus 169 

Niobe  , 171 

Tantalus 172 

Ixion 175 

Bellerophon,  or  Bellerophontes 178 

Skylla  (Scylla) 181 

lamos 183 

Amphiaraos 185 

Briareos  (Briareus) 187 

Arethusa  188 

Tyro 189 

Narcissus 190 

The  Argonauts 191 

The  Tale  of  Troy 198 

The  return  of  the  Heroes  from  Troy  216 

Inhabitants  of  the  Greek  Mythical  World 228 

LATIN  MYTHOLOGY 237 

Jupiter 238 

Neptune 239 

Pluto 240 

Vesta , 240 

Ceres 241 

Minerva 241 

Mars 242 

Venus  .  .  243 


CONTENTS.  5 

LATIN  MYTHOLOGY —  ,.A(;K 

Vulcan 244 

Apollo 244 

Diana  and  Janus 244 

Mercury 245 

^Esculapius 245 

Bacchus 246 

Hercules 246 

Saturn 249 

Aurora 250 

Avernus 250 

Latin  deities  not  identified  with  Greek  gods 251 

EGYPTIAN  MYTHOLOGY 257 

ASSYRIAN  MYTHOLOGY 260 

THE  MYTHOLOGY  OF  THE  VEDA 263 

PERSIAN  MYTHOLOGY 270 

JSToiisE  MYTHOLOGY.  .  .  273 


APPENDIX. 

Mythical  Genealogies 283 

Index  .  291 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


THE  researches  of  Comparative  Mythologists 
during  the  present  century  have  effected  a  com- 
plete revolution  in  the  treatment  and  classifica- 
tion of  the  various  systems  of  mythology. 

The  present  Manual,  which  is  an  attempt  to 
give  the  results  of  those  researches  in  a  form 
suitable  for  the  young,  must  necessarily  differ 
widely  from  the  manuals  or  elementary  works 
which  have  preceded  it.  But  no  apology  seems 
to  be  needed  for  changes  which  remove  from 
our  common  heritage  of  mythical  tradition  all 
that  may  appear  gross  and  repulsive  in  it,  and 
exhibit  the  exquisite  poetry  which  lies  at  the 
root  of  all  these  ancient  stories. 

In  some  portions  of  the  subject,  differences  of 
opinion  must  still  exist.  I  have,  therefore,  been 
careful  to  make  no  statements  of  any  importance 
for  which  I  cannot  claim  the  authority  of  such 
writers  as  Niebuhr,  Thirlwall,  Grimm,  Max  Miil- 
ler,  Kuhn,  Muir,  Cornewall  Lewis,  Grote,  Dasent, 


8;  ADVERTISEMENT. 

and  Breal.  The  Comparative  Mythologist  must 
still  say  with  Grimm  :  "  I  shall  indeed  interpret 
all  that  I  can,  but  I  cannot  interpret  all  that  I 
should  like."  I  venture,  therefore,  to  add,  that 
for  any  suggestions  or  remarks  which  may  be 
forwarded  to  me  through  the  publishers,  I  shall 
feel  grateful.  My  obligations  to  Professor  Max 
Miiller  I  thankfully  acknowledge. 

The  sections  on  Vedic,  Persian,  and  Teutonic 
Mythology  are  short ;  but  a  lengthened  treat- 
ment of  these  systems  would  have  swelled  the 
volume  to  too  great  a  size ;  and  many  names 
which  are  not  specially  mentioned  in  those  sec- 
tions, have  been  noticed  with  sufficient  fulness 
in  the  section  on  Greek  Mythology. 

The  references  given  in  the  text  of  the 
answers,  are  to  the  tales  in  which  the  myth  or 
legend  under  notice  has  been  recounted  at 
length.1 

The  quantity  of  syllables  in  the  several  names, 
is,  in  all  cases  which  may  appear  doubtful,  given 
in  the  Index. 

1  Cox's  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece,  soon  to  be  published  by  Leypoldt  & 
Holt. 


PREFACE. 


I  HOPE  that  students  who  may  have  to  use 
this  little  book  will  read  the  few  sentences  which 
I  write  by  way  of  preface. 

You  may  have  heard  the  stories  which  are 
told  about  Apollo,  or  Prometheus,  or  Tantalus ; 
and  you  may  have  thought  them  uninteresting, 
or  tiresome,  or  horrible.  The  deeds  which  they 
are  said  to  have  done  may  have  seemed  to  you 
(as  they  seemed  to  many  good  men  among  the 
old  Greeks  and  Eomans)  the  deeds  of  savages ; 
and  you  may  have  asked,  "Why  should  we  learn 
these  things  at  all,  and  what  good  will  it  do  us 
to  know  them  ?" 

You  may,  perhaps,  have  been  also  puzzled  by 
the  many  names  which  you  were  obliged  to 
learn  without  attaching  any  meaning  to  them, 
and  by  the  ranks  or  classes  into  which  the  gods 
and  heroes  were  divided ;  and  thus  you  may 
have  seen  nothing  good  or  beautiful  in  your  task 


10  PKEFACE. 

to  make  up  for  what  was  dull  or  disagreeable 
in  it. 

And  yet  these  old  stories  about  Greek  gods, 
and  nymphs,  and  Titans,  are  amongst  the  love- 
liest things  which  men  have  ever  imagined,  as 
you  will  see,  I  think,  if  you  followwme  in  what  I 
am  now  going  to  say. 

Many  ages  ago,  long  before  Europe  had  any 
of  the  nations  who  now  live  in  it,  and  while 
everything  was  new  and  strange  to  the  people 
who  then  lived  on  the  earth,  men  talked  of  the 
things  which  they  saw  and  heard,  in  a  way  very 
different  from  our  way  of  speaking  now.  We 
talk  of  the  sun  rising  and  setting,  as  of  some- 
thing which  is  sure  to  happen  :  but  they  did  not 
know  enough  to  feel  sure  about  these  things ; 
and  so  when  the  evening  came,  they  said,  "  Our 
friend  the  sun  is  dead;  will  he  come  back 
again?"  and  when  they  saw  him  once  more  in 
the  east,  they  rejoiced  because  he  brought  back 
their  light  and  their  life  with  him.  Knowing 
very  little  about  themselves,  and  nothing  at  all 
of  the  things  which  they  saw  in  the  world 
around  them,  they  fancied  that  everything  had 
the  same  kind  of  life  which  they  had  themselves. 
In  this  way  they  came  to  think  that  the  sun  and 
stars,  the  rivers  and  streams,  could  see,  and  feel, 


PREFACE.  11 

and  think,  and  that  they  shone  or  moved  of 
their  own  accord.  Thus  they  spoke  of  every- 
thing as  if  it  were  alive,  and  instead  of  saying, 
as  we  say,  that  the  morning  comes  before  the 
sunrise,  and  that  the  evening  twilight  follows 
the  sunset,  they  spoke  of  the  sun  as  the  lover 
of  the  dawn  or  morning  who  went  before  him, 
as  longing  to  overtake  her,  and  as  killing  her 
with  his  bright  rays,  which  shone  like  spears. 
We  talk  of  the  clouds  which  scud  along  the 
sky  ;  but  they  spoke  of  the  cows  of  the  sun, 
which  the  children  of  the  morning  drove  every 
day  to  their  pastures  in  the  blue  fields  of 
heaven.  So,  too,  when  the  sun  set,  they  said 
that  the  dawn,  with  its  soft  and  tender  light,  had 
come  to  soothe  her  son  or  her  husband  in  his 
dying  hour.  In  the  same  way,  the  sun  was  the 
child  of  darkness,  and  in  the  morning  he  wove 
for  his  bride  in  the  heavens  a  fairy  network  of 
clouds,  which  reappeared  when  she  came  back 
to  him  in  the  evening.  When  the  sun  shone 
with  a  pleasant  warmth,  they  spoke  of  him  as 
the  friend  of  men  :  jyhen  his  scorching  heat 
brought  a  drought,  they  said  that  the  sun  was 
slaying  his  children,  or  that  some  one  else,  who 
knew  not  how  to  guide  them,  was  driving  the 
horses  of  his  chariot  through  the  sky.  As  they 


12  PREFACE. 

looked  on  the  dark  clouds  which  rested  on  the 
earth  without  giving  any  rain,  they  said  that  the 
terrible  being  whom  they  named  the  snake  or 
dragon  was  shutting  up  the  waters  in  a  prison- 
house.  When  the  thunder  rolled,  they  said  that 
this  hateful  monster  was  uttering  his  hard  rid- 
dles ;  and  when,  at  last,  the  rain  burst  forth, 
they  said  that  the  bright  sun  had  slain  his 
enemy,  and  brought  a  stream  of  life  for  the 
thirsting  earth. 

Now,  so  long  as  men  remained  in  the  same 
place,  there  was  no  fear  that  the  words  which 
they  spoke  would  be  misunderstood  :  but  as 
time  went  on  they  were  scattered,  and  some 
wandered  to  the  south,  and  some  to  the  north 
and  west ;  and  so  it  came  to  pass  that  they  kept 
the  names  which  they  gave  to  the  sun  and  the 
clouds  and  all  other  things,  when  their  meaning 
had  been  almost  or  quite  forgotten.  In  this  way 
they  still  spoke  of  Phoebus  as  loving  Daphne, 
after  they  had  forgotten  that  this  meant  only 
"  The  Sun  loves  the  Dawn."  So  the  name  of 
the  dew  had  been  Procris^  and  it  had  been  said 
that  the  sun  killed  (dried  up)  the  dew  as  he 
rose  in  the  sky  :  but  now  Kephalos  (Cephalus) 
became  a  man  who,  without  knowing  it,  killed 
a  woman  named  Procris,  whom  he  loved.  In- 


niEFACE.  13 

stead  of  saying  any  more  that  the  moon  came 
to  see  the  sun  die,  they  said  that  Selene  came 
to  look  on  Endymion,  or  that  Antigone  soothed 
(Edipus  in  his  last  hour.  Instead  of  saying 
that  the  sun  was  the  child  of  darkness,  they 
said  that  Phoebus  was  the  son  of  Leto  ;  and  in 
place  of  the  fairy  network  of  clouds,  they  spoke 
of  the  robe  which  Helios  gave  to  the  wise 
maiden  Medea.  So,  too,  the  dragon  or  snake 
which  imprisoned  the  rain  in  the  clouds,  be- 
came the  Sphinx,  and  the  sun,  who  smote  it, 
was  turned  into  (Edipus,  who  alone  could  un- 
derstand her  dark  sayings  and  deliver  men  from 
the  plague  of  drought. 

But  some  of  these  tales,  when  so  changed, 
became  coarse  or  horrible,  or  even  disgusting. 
Long  ago  men  had  said  that  the  sun,  when  he 
glared  too  fiercely,  killed  the  fruits  which  his 
warmth  was  ripening,  or  that  he  dried  up  the 
streams  over  which  he  passed  ;  but  when  they 
had  forgotten  the  meaning  of  the  old  names, 
they  spoke  of  the  king  Tantalus,  who  killed  and 
roasted  his  own  child,  and  set  him  on  the  ban- 
quet-table of  the  gods.  It  was  the  same  with 
the  stories  told  of  Heracles  (Hercules),  which 
had  once  been  only  a  name  of  the  sun.  We, 
too,  might  speak  now  of  the  sun  as  "  coming 


14  PKEFACE. 

forth  like  a  bridegroom  out  of  his  chamber,"  as 
"  rejoicing  as  a  giant  to  run  his  course,"  and  as 
"  going  about  from  one  end  of  heaven  to  the 
other ;" 1  we  might  say  that  wherever  he  goes 
the  earth  smiles  under  his  pleasant  light,  and 
yields  her  fruit  with  gladness.  But  when,  in- 
stead of  thinking  of  the  sun,  they  fancied  that 
Heracles  was  a  man,  then  the  story  went  that, 
although  he  was  strong,  and  brave,  and  kind, 
yet  he  never  remained  with  those  whom  he  had 
loved,  but  constantly  found  new  brides  in  many 
lands ;  and  just  as  we  might  speak  of  the  sun 
as  feasting  on  the  fruits  of  the  earth,  so  Her- 
acles became  a  man  very  fond  of  eating  and 
drinking,  and  at  last  was  changed  into  some- 
thing like  a  clown  or  a  buffoon. 

Thus,  then,  mythology,  as  we  call  it  now,  is 
simply  a  collection  of  the  sayings  by  which  men 
once  upon  a  time  described  whatever  they  saw 
and  heard  in  the  countries  where  they  lived. 
This  key,  which  has  unlocked  almost  all  the 
secrets  of  mythology,  was  placed  in  our  hands 
by  Professor  Max  Miiller,  who  has  done  more 
than  all  other  writers  to  bring  out  the  exquisite 
and  touching  poetry  that  underlies  these  an- 
cient legends.  He  has  shown  us  that  in  this 

1  Psalm  xix.  5,  6. 


PREFACE.  15 

their  first  shape,  these  sayings  were  all  perfectly 
natural,  and  marvellously  beautiful  and  true. 
"We  see  the  lovely  evening  twilight  die  out  be- 
fore the  coming  night ;  but  when  they  saw  this, 
they  said  that  the  beautiful  Eurydike  (Eury- 
dice)  had  been  stung  by  the '  serpent  of  dark- 
ness, and  that  Orpheus  was  gone  to  fetch  her 
back  from  the  land  of  the  dead.  We  see  the 
light  which  had  vanished  in  the  west  reappear 
in  the  east ;  but  they  said  that  Eurydike  was 
now  returning  to  the  earth.  And  as  this  tender 
light  is  seen  no  more  when  the  sun  himself  is 
risen,  they  said  that  Orpheus  had  turned  round 
too  soon  to  look  at  her,  and  so  was  parted  from 
the  wife  whom  he  loved  so  dearly. 

And  as  it  is  with  this  sad  and  beautiful  tale, 
so  it  is  with  all  those  which  may  seem  to  you 
coarse  or  dull  or  ugly.  They  are  so  only  be- 
cause the  real  meaning  of  the  names  has  been 
half  forgotten  or  wholly  lost.  CEdipus  and  Per- 
seus, we  are  told,  killed  their  parents,  but  it  is 
only  because  the  sun  was  said  to  kill  the  dark- 
ness from  which  it  seems  to  spring.  So  again, 
it  was  said  that  the  sun  was  united  in  the 
evening  to  the  light  from  which  he  rose  in  the 
morning  :  but  in  the  later  story  it  was  said  that 
GEdipus  became  the  husband  of  his  mother 


16  PREFACE. 

locaste  (Jocasta),  and  a  terrible  history  was 
built  up  on  this  notion. 

.  But,  as  you  see,  none  of  these  fearful  or  dis- 
gusting stories  were  ever  made  on  purpose. 
No  one  ever  sat  down  to  describe  gods  and 
great  heroes  as  doing  things  which  all  decent 
men  would  be  ashamed  to  think  of.  There  can 
scarcely  be  a  greater  mistake  than  to  suppose 
that  whole  nations  were  suddenly  seized  with  a 
strange  madness,  which  drove  them  to  invent  all 
sorts  of  ridiculous  and  contemptible  tales,  and 
that  every  nation  has  at  some  time  or  other  gone 
mad  in  this  way.  You  must  not  fancy  that 
things  so  foolish  and  wicked  were  done,  es- 
pecially by  that  people  who  have  left  us  the 
beautiful  legends  of  Demeter,  and  Niobe,  and 
Cadmus,  of  Helen  and  (Enone,  of  Perseus  and 
Sarpedon.  It  may  be  very  absurd  to  be  told 
that  Cronos  (the  father  of  Zeus,  or  Jupiter) 
swallowed  his  own  children  ;  but  we  know  it  is 
not  absurd  to  say  that  time  swallows  up  the 
days  which  spring  from  it ;  and  the  old  phrase 
meant  simply  this  and  nothing  more,  although 
before  the  people  came  to  Greece  they  had  for- 
gotten its  meaning. 

Thus  we  may  look  upon  mythology  as  on 
something    exceedingly  beautiful,   over  which 


PREFACE.  17 

much  dust  has  settled,  disfiguring  some  parts 
and  hiding  others.  Most  of  this  dust  we  are 
able  now  to  sweep  away,  and  then  the  jewels 
hidden  beneath  it  shine  again  in  all  their  bril- 
liance and  purity.  You  may  be  sure  that  in  all 
these  tales  there  is  nothing  of  which,  in  its  old 
shape,  we  ought  to  be  ashamed,  and  that,  when 
you  have  lifted  the  veil  which  conceals  them,  you 
will  find  only  true  and  beautiful  thoughts  which 
are  as  much  ours  as  ever  they  were  the  thoughts 
of  men  who  lived  in  that  very  early  time. 

The  task  of  removing  this  covering  is  gener- 
ally as  easy  as  it  is  delightful.  Many  of  these 
tales,  perhaps  most  of  them,  explain  themselves. 
Phoebus  (the  shining  one)  is  born  in  Delos  (the 
bright  land)  ;  he  is  the  son  of  Leto  (the  dark- 
ness) ;  he  slays  the  children  of  Niobe  (the 
clouds  which  are  dried  up  by  the  sun).  Europa 
(the  broad  shining  morning)  i3  the  daughter  of 
Telephassa  (who  gleams  from  afar).  The  cattle 
of  Helios  (the  sun)  are  driven  to  their  pastures 
by  Phaethusa  and  Lampetie,  the  bright  and  glis- 
tening children  of  Neaira  (the  early  morning). 
So,  as  the  sun  goes  from  east  to  west,  Europa 
is  carried  westward,  and  Telephassa  dies  on 
the  western  plains  of  Thessaly,  just  as  the  twi- 
light dies  out  in  the  western  sky. 

2 


18  PEEFACE. 

I  need  say  no  more  to  show  that  these  old 
stories  contain  the  truest  and  the  most  touching 
poetry — poetry  which  may  make  us  cheerful  or 
sad,  gay  or  grave,  happy  or  mournful,  just  as  we 
might  feel  if  from  a  mountain-top  we  were  to 
watch  the  shortlived  glories  of  morning  and 
evening  tide.  Nor  is  any  thing  more  needed  to 
show  you  that  in  the  mythology,  whether  of 
Greece  or  Germany  or  Norway,  there  is  nothing 
which  should  make  you  less  upright  and  simple, 
while  there  is  much  in  it  which  you  may  be  the 
better  and  the  happier  for  knowing.  All  its  dis- 
agreeable features  are  simply  distortions,  caused 
by  forgetting  the  original  meaning  of  words  ; 
and  when  these  are  removed,  we  shall  see  only 
things  true  and  beautiful,  lovely  and  of  good  re- 
port :  we  shall  find  there  only  the  simple 
thoughts  of  childlike  men  on  the  wonderful 
works  of  God,  and  nothing  which  we  can  laugh 
at,  or  despise,  or  pity.  Their  words  will  make 
us  feel  as  we  feel  when  we  look  on  the  glory 
and  beauty  of  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  that 
the  thoughts  of  God  are  very  deep,  and  that  we 
have  the  same  joys  and  sufferings,  the  same 
fears  and  hopes,  which  were  felt  by  these  men 
and  women  of  old  time.  And  as  you  read  some 
of  these  tales,  you  will  begin  to  understand  how 


PREFACE.  19 

God  led  them  on,  slowly  perhaps,  yet  surely,  to 
the  consciousness  that  He  was  a  loving  and 
righteous  Father,  and  that  it  is  He  who  made 
the  sun  and  moon  and  all  other  things  in  their 
season.  You  will  see  that  the  Greek  or  the 
Eoman  did  not  pray  to  the  Zeus  or  the  Jupiter 
who  was  unjust,  or  coarse,  or  tyrannical.  The 
god  to  whom  they  prayed  in  times  of  need  or 
sorrow  was  indeed  named  Zeus  (or  Jupiter),  but 
he  was,  as  their  own  poets  expressed  it,  the 
great  and  holy  God  who  made  all  things,  and 
in  whom  all  things  live  and  move  and  have  their 
being. 

When  you  come  to  see  this,  you  may  be 
thankful  that  you  learnt  something  about  this 
old  mythology,  which  grew  up  slowly  without 
any  wilfully  evil  thoughts  in  the  minds  of  Greeks 
or  Eomans  or  any  other  people.  The  process 
was  simple,  and  it  could  not  be  avoided.  They 
never  sat  down  to  arrange  their  gods  and  heroes 
in  ranks  or  classes.  The  order  in  which  they 
are  sometimes  given  is  the  work  of  a  very  late 
age  ;  and  if  we  fix  our  minds  upon  it,  it  will 
hinder  rather  than  help  us  in  our  efforts  to 
understand  these  legends. 

I  hope  that  what  I  have  now  said  may  be 
clear  and  intelligible  to  all.  But  if  any  thing 


20  PREFACE. 

should  still  seem  dark,  it  will  probably  not  long 
remain  so.  The  key  now  placed  in  your  hands 
will  unlock  almost  every  door,  and  wherever  you 
go,  you  will  find  something  which  will  amply 
repay  you  for  your  trouble.  It  is  scarcely  too 
much  to  say  that  in  these  old  legends  we  have 
"  a  fountain  of  delight  which  no  man  can  ever 
drain  dry  ;"  and  this  delight  will,  I  trust,  be  felt 
by  all  whom  this  little  book  is  meant  to  teach. 


THE   ORIGIN   AND   GROWTH   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

1.  What  is  mythology  ? 

A  collection  of  tales  or  legends  relating  to 
the  gods,  heroes,  demons,  or  other  beings  whose 
names  have  been  preserved  in  popular  belief. 

2.  Are  such  tales  found  only  in  the  traditions  of  the  an- 
cient Greeks  and  Romans  ? 

No  ;  every  nation  has  had  its  mythology,  and 


22  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

some  nations  still  retain  their  old  faitli  in  these 
stories.  Thus  we  have  the  mythology  not. only 
of  Greece  and  Home,  but  of  India,  Persia,  Nor- 
way, Germany,  and  other  countries. 

3.  What  circumstance  is  especially  forced  on  our  notice 
when  we  compare  the  legends  of  these  different  lands  ? 

The  close  resemblance  which  runs  through 
them  in  all  their  most  important  features. 

4.  What  is  the  conclusion  to  be  drawn  from  this  ? 

That  the  legends  of  all  these  nations  have 
one  common  source. 

5.  And  what  is  this  source  ? 

The  words  or  phrases  used  by  the  most 
ancient  tribes  in  speaking  of  the  things  which 
they  saw,  heard,  or  felt  in  the  world  around 
them. 

6.  If  these  words  related  to  things  of  every-day  life,  how 
came  they  to  give  rise  to  stories  about  giants  and  nymphs 
and  other  unreal  beings  ? 

Because,  as  time  went  on,  and  the  people 
were  scattered,  the  meaning  of  the  old  words 
was  either  wholly  or  in  part  forgotten. 

7.  How  is  this  proved  ? 

By  the  fact  that  many  names,  which  in  Greek 
and  Latin  have  no  meaning,  are  perfectly  intel- 
ligible in  other  languages. 


ORIGIN  AND   GROWTH   OF   MYTHOLOGY.          23 

8.  Give  some  instances. 

Such  names  as  Argynnis,  Phoroneus,  and 
Erinys,  are,  in  Greek,  words  which  convey  no 
sense  :  in  the  old  mythology  of  India  they  ex- 
plain themselves.  Erinys  is  thus  seen  to  be 
the  dawn  as  it  creeps  along  the  sky ;  Argynnis 
is  a  name  for  the  morning,  denoting  its  bril- 
liance ;  and  Phoroneus  is  the  god  of  fire, 
Bhuranyu. 

9.  Mention  an  instance  in  which  the  old  meaning  of  the 
words  was  not  wholly  forgotten. 

In  the  story  of  Endymion,  Selene,  who  visits 
him,  is  still  the  moon  ;  all  that  had  been  for- 
gotten was  that  Endymion  is  a  name  for  the 
sun  as  he  plunges  into  the  sea  :  and  thus  it  was 
thought  that  Endymion  was  some  young  man 
on  whom  the  moon  looked  down  lovingly. 

10.  Do  many  names  in  Greek  mythology  explain  them- 
selves in  this  way  ? 

Yes.  Perhaps  the  greater  number  do  so. 
Thus  Phoebus  means  lord  of  light  or  of  life; 
and  Delos,  where  he  is  born,  means  the  bright 
land.  Hence  he  is  also  called  Lykegenes, 
sprung  from  light.  His  mother  is  Leto  (Latona), 
which  means  the  night,  from  which  the  sun 
seems  to  spring.  So  too  Endymion,  the  setting 
sun,  sleeps  in  Latinos,  the  land  of  forgetfulness. 


24  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

11.  In  these  tales  are  the  same  names,  or  names  very  like 
each  other,  given  both  to  men  and  women  ? 

Yes.  The  mother  of  Cadmus  and  Europa  is 
Telephassa,  which  means  "  she  who  shines  from 
far."  This  is  only  another  form  of  the  name 
Telephus,  who  is  also  a  child  of  Auge,  the  light. 
So  too  the  names  Europa  and  Eurytus,  Eury- 
medon,  Euryanassa,  Euryphassa,  with  many 
others,  all  denote  a  broad  spreading  light,  like 
that  of  the  dawn  as  it  rushes  across  the  sky. 

12.  Do  the  incidents  in  these  tales  resemble  each  other 
as  closely  as  the  names? 

Yes.  In  a  very  large  number  of  legends  the 
parents,  warned  that  their  son  will  destroy 
them,  expose  their  children,  who  are  saved  by 
some  wild  beast  and  brought  up  by  some  herds- 
man. The  children  so  recovered  always  grow 
up  beautiful,  brave,  strong,  and  generous ;  but, 
either  unconsciously  or  against  their  will,  they 
fulfil  the  warnings  given  before  their  birth,  and 
become  the  destroyers  of  their  parents, 

13.  Mention  any  tales  which  thus  resemble  each  other. 
Perseus,  (Eclipus,  Cyrus,  Eomulus,  Paris,  are 

all  exposed  as  infants,  are  all  saved  from  death, 
and  discovered  by  the  splendor  of  their  counte- 
nances and  the  dignity  of  their  bearing.  Either 
consciously  or  unconsciously,  Perseus  kills  Acri- 


OKIGIN  AND   GROWTH   OF   MYTHOLOGY.          25 

sios,  (Edipus  kills  Laios,  Cyrus  slays  Astyagcs, 
Komulus  kills  Amulius,  and  Paris  brings  about 
the  ruin  of  Priam  and  the  city  of  Troy. 

14  Have  these  stories  any  other  features  in  common  ? 

Yes.  These  heroes  have  generally  a  short 
but  brilliant  life,  and  have  to  labor  for  others, 
not  for  themselves.  Thus  Heracles  (Hercules) 
is  a  slave  to  Eurystheus,  Achilles  goes  to  Troy 
for  no  quarrel  of  his  own,  and  Perseus  has  to 
toil  at  the  bidding  of  king  Polydectes.  They 
are  all  of  them  slayers  of  monsters,  and  in 
other  ways  helpers  of  men.  Thus  Bellerophon 
kills  Belleros  and  Chimaera,  Perseus  destroys 
the  Gorgon  Medusa,  Theseus  kills  the  Minotaur, 
(Edipus  slays  the  Sphinx,  and  Phoebus  Apollo 
kills  thfe  serpent  Python. 

15.  Are  these  things  repeated  in  the  stories  of  other  coun- 
tries ? 

Yes.  In  the  Indian  tales  Indra  kills  the 
dragon  Vritra,  and  in  the  Old  Norse  legend 
Sigurd  kills  the  great  snake  Fafnir.  In  the 
Persian  story,  Eustem  is  as  brave  and  mighty 
as  Heracles,  and  his  exploits  are  of  the  same 
kind.  All  of  them  have  invincible  spears  or 
swords,  and  can  be  wounded  only  in  one  spot, 
or  by  one  kind  of  weapon  only. 


26  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

16.  Do  these  heroes  resemble  each  other  in  person  and 
character,  as  well  as  in  the  general  course  of  their  lives  ? 

Yes.  They  all  have  fair  faces,  and  golden 
locks  flowing  over  their  shoulders.  They  all 
sacrifice  their  own  ease  for  the  good  of  others, 
and  yet  are  all  tempted  io  forsake  or  leave  the 
brides  of  their  youth.  Thus  Heracles  goes 
away  from  lole,  Paris  forsakes  (Enone,  Theseus 
leaves  Ariadne,  and  Sigurd  deserts  Brynhild. 
They  are  also  subject  to  strange  fits  of  gloom 
and  sullenness,  and  every  thing  grows  dark  in 
their  absence  from  the  banquet  or  the  battle- 
field. But  in  the  end  they  come  forth  in  all 
their  early  glory,  and  are  forgiven  by  the  women 
whom  they  had  wronged. 

17.  What  do  we  learn  from  these  resemblances  ? 

That  they  cannot  be  accidental ;  and  as  we 
know  that  Greeks,  and  Eomans,  and  Hindus, 
and  Germans,  and  Norsemen,  could  not  have 
copied  these  tales  from  one  another  three  or 
four  thousand  years  ago,  we  must  trace  them 
to  a  common  source,  when  the  forefathers  of 
all  these  tribes  were  living  in  the  same  place. 

18.  What,  then,  is  the  root  or  germ  of  all  these  stories  ? 
Words,  or  phrases,  which  described  events  or 

scenes  in  the  outward  world.     Thus,  whereas  in 
the  oldest  Hindu  hymns  the  Sun  is  said  to  love 


01UGIN  AND   GROWTH  OF  MYTHOLOGY.         27 

the  Dawn,  and  as  the  Sun  kills  the  Dew  when 
he  looks  on  it,  the  Greeks  said  that  Phoebus 
loved  Daphne,  and  that  Procris  was  killed  by 
Kephalos  (Cephalus). 

19.  But  liow  do  we  know  that  the  stories  are  really  the 
same  ? 

Because  words  like  Procris,  Daphne,  Briseis, 
Hermes,  Charites,  and  Echidna,  which  have  no 
clear  meaning  in  Greek,  are,  in  the  ancient  lan- 
guage of  India,  merely  common  names  for  the 
Dew  and  the  Sun,  for  the  morning  with  its 
beautiful  clouds  and  soft  breezes,  for  the  glis- 
tening horses  of  the  Sun  and  the  throttling 
snake  of  darkness. 

20.  What  was  the  consequence  of  this  forgetfulncss  of 
the  first  meaning  of  words  ? 

That  many  of  the  tales  became  unnatural 
and  even  shocking.  Thus,  whereas,  in  time  of 
drought,  men  had  said  that  the  Sun  was  killing 
the  fruits  of  the  Earth  which  was  his  bride,  the 
Greek  said  that  Tantalus,  an  Eastern  king, 
killed  and  cooked  his  own  child.  So,  too,  it  had 
once  been  said  that,  after  slaying  noxious  things 
and  cheering  the  earth  with  his  brightness,  the 
Sun  was  united  in  the  evening  with  the  Dawn 
whom  he  had  forsaken  in  the  morning.  But 
when  the  Greeks  had  forgotten  what  was  meant 
by  the  name  of  OEdipus,  they  said  that,  after 


28  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

slaying  the  Sphinx,  he  was  married  to  his  own 
mother,  and  that  terrible  evils  and  sufferings 
followed  this  event. 

21.  How,  then,  are  we  to  look  on  such  stories  ? 

"We  should  look  on  them  as  on  perfectly  harm- 
less and  beautiful  tales,  which  have  been  gradu- 
ally disfigured,  without  the  will  or  even  the 
consciousness  of  those  who  so  changed  them. 

22.  What  light  do  they  throw  on  the  earliest  history  of 
the  European  nations  ? 

They  show  that  the  ancestors  of  Englishmen 
and  Germans,  of  Norwegians,  and  Italians,  and 
Greeks,  all  had  the  same  thoughts,  hopes,  and 
fears  which  we  feel  now,  and  that,  on  the  whole, 
these  thoughts  were  very  beautiful  and  true. 

23.  What,  then,  were  these  phrases  which  gave  rise  to  so 
many  tales  ? 

They  form  the  language  of  all  true  poets  in 
all  times  and  countries.  Everywhere  they  at- 
tribute life  to  the  things  which  they  see  and 
hear  around  them  ;  the  Sun  is  for  them  a  bride- 
groom coming  out  of  his  chamber,  and  a  giant 
rejoicing  to  run  his  course.  This  idea  is  the 
groundwork  of  the  legends  of  Heracles,  Per- 
seus, Theseus,  Achilles,  Bellerophon,  and  very 
many  others ;  and  all  whose  hearts  and  minds 
are  open  to  see  the  works  of  God,  will  feel  both 
their  truth  and  their  beauty. 


GREEK  MYTHOLOGY. 


ZEUS. 

24.  "Who  was  the  supreme  god  in  the  mythology  of  the 
Greeks  ? 

Zeus,  who,  before  the  time  when  the  Iliad 
and  Odyssey  were  composed,  had  come  to  be 
regarded  as  the  father  of  all  gods  and  men. 

25.  Had  he  not  then  always  been  the  highest  god  ? 

No.  According  to  some  stories,  there  was  a 
time  when  Cronos,  his  father,  was  supreme  ; 
but  even  Cronos  was  not  first  in  the  order  of 
the  gods. 


30  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

26.  "Were  the  gods,  then,  arranged  in  some  fixed  order  ? 

Not  at  first ;  but  in  later  times  the  poets 
compared  the  different  tales  that  were  told 
about  the  various  gods,  and  then  arranged 
them  according  to  the  relationship  pointed  out 
in  each  story. 

27.  Did  these  stories  differ  much  from  one  another  ? 

So  much  that  it  is  often  impossible  to  make 
them  agree  together,  and  we  can  only  say,  in 
many  cases,  that  each  country  or  city  followed 
its  own  version. 

28.  Is  this  the  case  with  the  legends  of  Zeus  and  the  gods 
who  went  before  him  ? 

Yes.  In  one  account,  the  first  beings  are 
Chaos  and  Gaia,  from  whom  spring  Ouranos 
(or  Uranus)  and  the  Great  Mountains  and  Pon- 
tus.  In  another,  Gaia  or  Ge  (the  Earth)  is  the 
wife  of  Ouranos  ;  and  their  children,  Hyperion, 
lapetus,  and  many  others,  are  born  before  Cro- 
nos, the  father  of  Zeus. 

29.  Who  is  Ouranos  ? 

Ouranos  is  the  heaven  which  is  spread  like  a 
veil  over  the  earth,  and  is  the  same  as  the  old 
Hindu  god  Varuna,  whose  name  comes  from  a 
root,  var,  meaning  to  veil  or  conceal. 

30.  What  is  the  legend  of  Cronos  ? 

It  is  said  that  Ouranos  hurled  the  Cyclopes, 


ZEUS.  31 

with  Bronte,  Sterope  (Thunder  and  Lightning), 
and  other  children  of  Gaia  (the  Earth),  into  the 
abyss  called  Tartarus ;  and  that  Gaia,  in  her 
grief  and  anger,  urged  her  other  children  to 
mutilate  their  father  and  to  set  up  Cronos  in- 
stead upon  his  throne. 

31.  What  were  the  acts  of  Cronos  as  soon  as  he  became 
king? 

He  is  said  to  have  swallowed  his  children 
soon  after  each  was  born. 

32.  How  is  this  to  be  explained  ? 

As  the  action  of  time,  which  swallows  up  the 
days  as  they  come  each  in  its  order. 

33.  What  had  these  acts  of  Cronos  to  do  with  the  his- 
tory of  Zeus  ? 

Ehea,  the  wife  of  Cronos  and  the  mother  of 
Zeus,  anxious  to  save  her  child,  gave  her  hus- 
band a  stone  to  swallow,  while  Zeus  was  born 
and  nourished  in  the  cave  of  Dicte  or  on  Ida. 

34.  Is  the  name  Zeus  found  in  the  Hindu  mythology  ? 

Tes.  Zeus  is  there  Dyaus,  the  god  of  the 
bright  sky  or  heaven,  from  a  word  which  means 
to  shine. 

35.  Is  it  found  also  in  the  tales  of  other  nations  ? 

Yes.  As  the  Hindus  spoke  of  Dyaus-pitar, 
and  the  Greeks  of  Zeus  Pater,  so  the  Latins 


32  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

and  Eomans  called  him  Jupiter,  which  means 
father  Zeus.  By  the  Anglo-Saxons  he  was  called 
Tin  (a  word  which  is  still  seen  in  our  Tuesday], 
and  by  the  old  High  Germans  he  was  known  as 
Zio. 

36.  What,  then,  was  the  first  meaning  of  the  name  ? 

It  meant  the  pure  blue  sky,  the  abode  of 
light,  far  above  the  clouds  or  any  thing  which 
could  sully  its  purity. 

37.  Does  this  at  all  explain  the  Greek  story  ? 

It  shows  us  why  Zeus  is  born  in  the  cave  of 
Dicte,  which  is  another  of  those  words  that  de- 
note the  approach  of  light,  just  as  Delos,  where 
Phoebus  is  born,  is  the  bright  land. 

38.  What  acts  are  ascribed  to  Zeus  after  he  had  come  to 
his  full  strength  ? 

He  is  said  to  have  delivered  the  Cyclopes 
from  Tartarus,  and  to  have  obtained  the  aid  of 
the  hundred-handed  giants  in  his  war  against 
the  Titans. 

39.  Was  he  aided  by  any  others  in  this  struggle  ? 
According  to  the  story  followed  by  ^Eschylus, 

he  had  the  help  of  Prometheus,  the  son  of 
Deucalion,  and  by  his  aid  he  dethroned  Cro- 
nos ;  but  angry  afterward,  because  Prometheus 
taught  men  the  use  of  fire,  he  chained  him  to 
the  rugged  rocks  of  Caucasus. 


ZEUS.  33 

40.  How  was  the  empire  of  Cronos  divided  ? 

We  are  told  in  some  stories  tliat  the  Cyclopes 
gave  to  Zeus  a  thunderbolt,  and  to  his  brothers 
-Hades  and  Poseidon  a  helmet  and  a  trident, 
and  that,  having  received  these  gifts,  the  three 
gods  cast  lots,  and  the  sovereignty  of  heaven 
fell  to  the  portion  of  Zeus,  that  of  the  sea  to 
Poseidon,  and  that '  of  the  lower  regions  to 
Hades. 

41.  What  is  the  character  of  Zeus  in  the  Homeric  poems  ? 

Zeus  in  these  poems  is  described  in  ways  so 
different  that  we  should  rather  say  that  there 
were  two  gods  called  by  this  name.  Sometimes 
he  is  represented  as  partial,  unjust,  fond  of  rest 
and  pleasure,  changeable  in  his  affections,  and 
unfaithful  in  his  love,  greedy,  sensual,  and  im- 
pure. But  in  hours  of  real  trouble  and  grief, 
Achilles  and  the  other  Achaians  pray  to  a  Zeus 
who  is  not  only  irresistible  in  might,  but  also 
just  and  righteous. 

42.  How  is  this  contrast  to  be  accounted  for  ? 

As  the  Indian  word  Dyaus  seems  originally 
to  have  been  a  name  for  the  One  only  God,  so 
it  was  retained  by  the  Greeks  and  other  kindred 
peoples  to  express  all  that  they  felt  toward 
God.  But  as  the  word  also  meant  the  visible 

3 


34  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

sky,  with  its  clouds  and  vapors,  some  of  the 
phrases  which  described  its  changes  came,  when 
their  meaning  was  forgotten,  to  denote  vile  or 
shameful  actions.  Thus  the  earth  had  been 
spoken  of  as  the  bride  of  the  sky,  and  the  sky 
was  said  to  overshadow  the  earth  with  his  love 
in  every  land ;  and  all  this,  when  applied  to  a 
deity  with  human  form  and  passions,  grew  up 
into  strange  stories  of  lawless  license. 

43.  Is  this  conclusion  justified  by  the  later  Greek  poetry  ? 

It  is  even  strengthened,  for  while  in  Hesiod 
the  descent  of  the  gods,  their  earthly  loves,  and 
their  gross  actions  are  brought  out  even  more 
prominently,  yet  the  poet  can  turn  sharply 
away  from  all  such  things  to  the  thought  of 
that  pure  and  holy  Zeus  who  looks  down  from 
heaven  to  see  if  men  will  do  justice  and  seek 
after  God. 

44.  How  was  this  contrast  felt  by  the  poets  and  philoso- 
phers of  a  still  later  age  ? 

By  some,  the  thought  that  the  gods  must  be 
good  was  regarded  as  a  sufficient  reason  for 
disbelieving  all  stories  to  their  discredit :  by 
others  these  tales  were  considered  to  disprove 
their  divinity,  as  Euripides  said — 

"  If  the  gods  do  aught  unseemly,  then  they  are  not  gods  at  all." 


ZEUS.  35 

But  others  rested  content  with  the  knowledge 
that  Zeus  was  a  mere  name  by  which  they 
might  speak  of  Him  in  whom  we  live,  and  move, 
and  have  our  being  ;  but  which  is  utterly  un- 
able to  express,  as  our  mind  is  to  conceive,  His 
infinite  perfection. 

45.  Has  the  name  Zeus  passed  into  any  other  form  ? 

It  is  derived  from  the  same  root  with  the 
Greek  Theos  and  the  Latin  Deus,  which  both 
mean  "  God."  The  former  word  forms  part  of 
the  word  "  Theology,"  which  means  what  we 
think  or  believe  about  God. 

46.  Who  are  named  as  the  children  of  Zeus  ? 

Apollo  and  Artemis,  whose  mother  was  called 
Leto  (Latona),  Ares,  Hermes,  and  Athena,  who, 
with  Poseidon,  Hera,  Hephaestus,  Hestia,  De- 
meter,  Aphrodite,  and  Zeus  himself,  formed  the 
body  which  in  the  days  of  Thucydides  was  wor- 
shipped as  "  the  twelve  gods"  of  Olympus. 

47.  Is  this  ordering  of  the  gods  found  in  the  Homeric 
poems  ? 

No.  Many  of  the  deities  in  these  poems  are 
not  nearly  so  important  as  they  are  in  later 
times,  while  many  become  lower  in  character  in 
later  tradition. 

48.  "What  is  the  name  given  to  those  poems  which  de- 
scribe the  birth  and  attributes  of  the  gods  ? 


36  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

They  are  called  theogonies ;  the  best  known 
being  the  theogony  of  Hesiod,  and  that  which 
bears  the  name  of  Orpheus. 

49.  Which  were  the  most  celebrated  temples  or  sanctu- 
aries of  Zeus  in  ancient  Hellas  or  Greece  ?  * 

The  temple  on  Mount  Lycseus  (a  word  de- 
noting merely  brightness),  in  Arcadia ;  that  of 
Dodona,  which  at  first  was  in  Thessaly,  and 
afterward  in  Epirus ;  and  that  of  Olympia  in 
Elis,  where  the  great  Olympic  games  were  cele- 
brated at  the  end  of  every  fourth  year. 

50.  Was  Zeus  worshipped  under  many  names  ? 

Yes.  The  number  of  these  names  is  so  great 
that  it  would  be  useless  to  reckon  them.  He 
was  named  sometimes  from  places,  as  the  Do- 
donaean,  Pelasgic,  or  Cretan  Zeus,  but  more 
commonly  he  was  invoked  as  the  fountain  of 
order,  justice,  law,  and  equity.  Thus  he  was 
called  Ephestios,  as  guarding  family  life,  Hor- 
kios,  as  watching  over  contracts,  and  Xenios,  as 
the  protector  of  strangers. 

51.  What  do  these  many  names  teach  us  ? 

That  they  express  only  some  one  or  more  of 
those  good  qualities  which  were  felt  to  make  up 
the  nature,  not  of  Zeus,  the  son  of  Cronos,  but 
of  the  One  Great  God  and  Eather  of  us  all. 


POSEIDON. 

52.  Who  was  Poseidon  ? 

A  son  of  Cronos  and  Rhea,  and  therefore  a 
brother  of  Zens  and  Hades. 

53.  What  was  his  office  ? 

When  the  lots  were  cast  for  the  sovereignty 
of  the  heavens,  the  sea,  and  the  regions  beneath 
the  earth,  that  of  the  sea  fell  to  the  share  of 
Poseidon,  who  received  a  trident  as  the  emblem 
of  his  power. 

54.  In  what  sense  is  Poseidon  the  god  of  the  sea  ? 
Seemingly  as  having  under  his  control  the 


38  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY.^ 

forces  which  affect  its  movements,  rather  than 
as  himself  inhabiting  its  waters. 

55.  Is  there,  then,  any  god  whose  actual  home  is  in  the 
sea? 

Yes ;  Nereus  lives  in  the  deep  waters,  and 
stands  to  Poseidon  in  the  same  relation  which 
Helios,  who  dwells  in  the  sun,  bears  to  Phoebus, 
the  lord  of  light. 

56.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  name  Poseidon  ? 
It  is  not  known  with  certainty. 

57.  Is  there  any  thing  in  the  legends  which  may  throw 
light  on  the  meaning  of  the  name  ? 

In  the  Iliad  and  Odyssey  Poseidon  is  repre- 
sented as  equal  to  Zeus  in  dignity,  and  inferior 
to  him  only  in  might.  He  has  also  the  power 
of  creation,  for,  according  to  one  story,  he  is 
the  maker  of  the  horse.  He  is  also  called 
Gaieochos,  the  keeper  of  the  earth,  and  Eno- 
sichthon,  the  world-shaker  ;  and  lastly,  he  dis- 
putes with  Hera,  Helios,  and  Athena  the  sove- 
reignty of  certain  Greek  cities.  Hence  it  is  not 
unlikely  that  the  name  denoted  originally  sim- 
ply the  idea  of  lordship  or  power,  and  that  it  is 
connected  with  such  words  as  potent  and  despot ; 
Hera,  the  wife  of  Zeus,  being  also  called  Pot- 
nia,  or  the  mighty  one. 

58.  How  is  Poseidon    described    as  behaving  toward 
Zeus  ? 


POSEIDON.  39 

He  is  represented  generally  as  faithful  and 
submissive  to  the  great  ruler  of  Olympus  ;  but 
once  he  plotted,  we  are  told,  with  Hera  and 
Pallas  Athena  to  put  Zeus  in  chains,  and  was 
outwitted  by  Thetis,  at  whose  warning  Zeus 
placed  the  hundred-handed  Briareos  by  his 
throne,  to  scare  the  conspirators. 

59.  Where  was  the  palace  of  Poseidon  ? 

In  the  deep  waters  near  -ZEgse,  on  the  shores 
of  Euboea.  Here  he  kept  his  horses  with 
golden  manes,  which  answer  to  the  Hindu 
Harits,  or  glistening  horse  of  the  sun,  and 
which  bear  him  with  mighty  strides  over  the 
sea. 

60.  Do  the  legends  of  Poseidon  differ  in  any  special  way 
from  those  of  Zeus  ? 

Yes.  Zeus  is  never  described  as  subject  to 
the  will  of  others,  or  as  compelled  to  go  through 
servile  tasks.  But  Poseidon  is  made,  together 
with  Heracles,  to  build  the  walls  of  Troy  for 
Laomedon,  just  as  Phoebus  Apollo  is  compelled 
to  be  a  servant  in  the  house  of  Admetus. 

61.  What  was  the  recompense  of  Poseidon  for  this  ser- 
vice? 

The  usual  recompense  of  those  gods  and  he- 
roes who,  like  the  sun,  are  said  to  toil  for  the 
benefit  of  man.  Laomedon  refused  to  pay  the 


40  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

promised  price,  just  as  Achilles  complains  that 
lie  has  all  the  hardships  and  none  of  the  re- 
wards of  war. 

62.  What  was  the  consequence  of  this  treacheiy  ? 

That  Poseidon  took  the  side  of  Agamemnon 
and  Menelaus,  when  they  came  to  Troy  to  take 
vengeance  for  the  evil  deeds  of  Paris. 

63.  Where  is  Poseidon  said  to  have  created  the  horse  ? 

At  Athens,  where  there  was  a  contest  between 
him  and  Athena  for  the  naming  of  the  city. 
Zeus  decided  that  it  should  be  named  after  the 
deity  who  should  confer  the  best  gift  on  man- 
kind. Upon  this  Athena  produced  the  olive- 
tree,  and  Poseidon  the  horse  ;  and  the  victory 
was  adjudged  to  Athena,  the  olive  being  a  sign 
of  peace  and  prosperity,  and  the  horse  a  sign 
of  war  and  wretchedness. 

64.  Is  there  any  other  version  of  this  legend  ? 

In  the  Iliad  Achilles  tells  quite  another  tale, 
for  he  says  that  Poseidon  created  the  horse  in 
Thessaly,  and  that  he  gave  the  immortal  steeds 
Xanthos  and  Balios  (the  golden  and  spotted]  to 
Peleus,  the  father  of  Achilles. 

65.  Are  any  other  contests  ascribed  to  Poseidon  like  that 
which  he  had  with  Athena  ? 

He  is  said  to  have  claimed  authority  over 


POSEIDON.  41 

Corinth  against  Helios  (the  Sun),  over  Naxos 
against  Dionysus,  and  over  JEgina  against  Zeus 
himself. 

66.  What  do  such  statements  seem  to  prove  ? 

That  originally  Poseidon  was  regarded  simply 
as  ruler  or  king,  and  that  his  power  was,  in 
process  of  time,  limited  to  the  control  of  the 
sea. 

67.  Who  is  mentioned  as  the  wife  of  Poseidon  ? 
Amphitrite. 

68.  What  is  the  meaning  of  this  name  ? 

It  cannot  be  explained  by  any  word  in  the 
Greek  language  ;  but  in  the  old  Hindu  legends 
we  find  a  god,  Trita,  who  reigns  over  the  water 
and  the  air.  This  name 'Trita,  which  some  have 
connected  with  that  of  Amphitrite,  reappears 
apparently  in  Tritopator,  a  name  for  the  winds, 
and  in  Tritogeneia,  an  epithet  applied  to 
Athena,  as  well  as  in  Triton,  the  son  of 
Poseidon. 

69.  Is  this  name  found  in  the  legends  of  any  other  people 
besides  the  Greeks  and  Hindus  ? 

Yes.  In  the  old  Persian  stories,  the  Trita  or 
Traitana  of  India  reappears  as  Thraetana,  the 
slayer  of  the  serpent  Zohak,  which  answers  to 
the  dragon  Python  killed  by  Phoebus,  and  to 
Fafnir,  who  is  slain  by  Sigurd. 


HADES. 

70.  Who  was  Hades  ? 

Like  Poseidon,  he  was  a  son  of  Cronos  and 
Rhea,  and  brother  of  Zeus. 

71.  Over  what  region  was  Hades  king  ? 

Over  the  unseen  abodes  beneath  the  earth, — 
the  earth,  according  to  the  old  belief,  being  re- 
garded as  a  flat  surface. 

72.  He  is,  then,  the  god  of  the  unseen  world.    Does  the 
name  bear  out  this  idea  ? 

It  seems  to  do  so,  for  we  have  other  forms  of 
the  word,  as  Aides  and  Aidoneus,  which  appear 
to  denote  that  which  is  unseen,  and  the  helmet 


HADES.  43 

given  to  him  by  the  Cyclopes  had  the  power 
of  rendering  the  wearer  invisible. 

73.  How  do  we  know  this  ? 

Because  Perseus,  who  is  suffered  to  wear  this 
helmet,  becomes  invisible  so  long  as  he  has  it 
on  his  head,  and  is  again  visible  when  he  takes 
it  in  his  hand.  It  is,  in  short,  the  invisible  cap 
of  the  Nibelungen  tale. 

74.  Who  was  the  wife  of  Hades  ? 

Persephone,  or  Persephassa,  the  daughter  of 
Demeter. 

75.  How  did  he  win  her  to  be  his  bride  ? 

He  is  said  to  have  seized  her  while  she  was 
gathering  flowers  in  the  fields  of  Enna,  and  to 
have  carried  her  away  to  his  dark  abode  in  a 
chariot  drawn  by  four  coal-black  horses. 

76.  Was  Hades  known  by  any  other  names  ? 

Yes.  He  was  called  Plouton,  or  Pluto,  as 
being  guardian  of  all  those  mineral  treasures 
of  the  earth  which  Andvari,  the  dwarf,  guards 
in  the  Teutonic  story  of  Sigurd.  He  was  also 
known  as  Polydegmon  (the  king  who  receives 
many  into  his  unseen  home),  a  name  only 
slightly  varied  in  Polydectes,  the  king  of  Seri- 
phos,  who  persecutes  Danae,  the  mother  of 
Perseus. 


44  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

77.  "Was  lie  ever  described  in  any  other  way  ? 
Sometimes  he  was  spoken  of  as  the  Zens  of 

the  lower  world,  and  thns  the  three  names, 
Zens,  Hades,  and  Poseidon  seem  to  have  de- 
noted merely  the  ideas  of  sovereignty  and 
power,  before  they  came  to  be  assigned  to  the 
local  rulers  of  the  sky,  the  sea,  and  the  nether 
world. 

78.  How  was  the  palace  of  Hades  guarded  ? 

By  the  monstrous  dogs  Orthros  and  Kerberos 
(Cerberns),  the  latter  of  whom  has  three  heads. 

79.  Are  these  monsters  mentioned  in  the  traditions  of  any 
other  people  ? 

Yes.  They  reappear  as  Vritra  and  Sarvara, 
names  applied  to  the  powers  of  darkness  in  the 
ancient  traditions  of  the  Hindus. 

80.  How  was  it  that  Hades,  being,  like  Zeus,  a  son  of 
Cronos,  was    not  reckoned  among  the  twelve  gods  of 
Olympus  ? 

Merely  because  his  empire  lay  beneath  the 
earth.  In  the  Homeric  poems  this  distinction 
is  not  known.  There  he  has  the  power  of  go- 
ing to  Olympus  when  he  pleases,  and  he  does 
so  when  he  is  wounded  by  Heracles. 

81.  What  was  the  later  meaning  of  the  name  Hades  ? 

It  came  to  denote  not  merely  the  king  of  the 
unseen  world  beneath  the  earth,  but  the  unseen 
world  itself. 


HERE,  OK  HERA. 

82.  Who  was  Hera  ? 

A  daughter  of  Cronos  and  Ehea,  and  there- 
fore a  sister  of  Zeus,  Hades,  and  Poseidon. 
She  was  also  the  wife  of  Zeus. 

83.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  name  ? 

It  is  probably  derived  from  the  same  root 
from  which  come  the  Sanskrit  svar,  the  bright 
sky,  and  surya,  the  sun,  as  well  as  the  Greek 
Helios,  the  sun.  It  seems  originally  to  have 
meant  the  heavenly  air,  the  consort  of  Zeus,  the 
heavenly  light. 

84.  Do  the  mythical  tales  support  this  explanation  ? 


46  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

Yes  :  the  story  of  Ixion  especially  agrees 
closely  with  this  its  original  meaning. 

85.  How  is  she  described  in  the  Homeric  poems  ? 

As  the  wife  of  Zeus,  who  is  reverenced  by 
the  gods  not  less  than  her  husband,  to  whom 
she  is  on  the  whole  submissive. 

86.  What  exceptions  are  there  to  this  submissiveness  ? 

Apart  from  her  opposition  to  Zeus  in  the  Tro- 
jan war,  she  shared  in  the  plot  of  Poseidon  and 
Athena  to  put  him  in  chains. 

87.  What  accounts  are  given  of  her  birthplace  and  her 
marriage  ? 

The  stories  vary  so  much  that  it  is  impossible 
to  arrange  them,  or  to  harmonize  them. 

88.  Who  were  the  children  of  Hera? 
Ares,  Hebe,  and  Hephaestus. 

89.  What  made  her  take  part  against  the  Trojans  in  the 
war  waged  by  the  Achaians  against  Troy  or  II ion  ? 

The  judgment  of  Paris,  before  whom  Hera, 
Aphrodite,  and  Athena  appeared  as  claimants 
of  the  golden  apple,  which  was  to  be  given  to 
the  fairest  of  the  three.  The  apple  was  given 
to  Aphrodite,  and  from  that  time  forth  Hera 
and  Athena  are  said  to  have  hated  the  city  of 
Priam. 

90.  What  is  the  name  of  the  wife  of  Jupiter  in  the  my- 
thology of  the  Latins  ? 

Juno. 


HERE,    OK   HERA.  47 

91.  Are  Juno  and  Hera  the  same  deity  ? 

Yes.  Although  commonly  the  Latin  deities 
correspond  in  name  only  with  those  of  the 
Greek,  in  this  case  the  identity  is  sufficiently 
proved. 

92.  How? 

As  the  Hindu  dyavan  represents  the  Greek 
Zeus,  so  the  latter  answers  to  the  Latin  Dianus, 
or  Janus,  while  the  feminine  forms,  Diana  and 
Juno,  would  correspond  to  a  Greek  Zenon,  as  a 
feminine. 

93.  Do  any  of  the  stories  told  about  her  explain  the  na- 
ture of  her  office  ? 

In  the  greater  number  she  appears  as  the 
queen  of  the  pure  heaven.  This  idea  is  spe- 
cially manifested  in  the  legend  of  Ixion  (the 
whirling  sun),  who,  after  being  purified  by  Zeus 
from  the  guilt  of  blood,  seeks  to  win  the  love  of 
Hera,  and  is  cheated  by  Zeus  with  a  cloud 
which  is  made  to  assume  her  shape.1 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    Ixion. 


HESTIA. 

94.  Who  was  Hestia  ? 

The  eldest  child  of  Cronos  and  Ehea. 

95.  What  was  her  office  ? 

She  was  the  goddess  of  the  household  hearth, 
or  rather  of  the  fire  burning  on  the  hearth.  As, 
according  to  the  old  heathen  custom,  all  men 
were  regarded  as  enemies  unless  by  a  special 
compact  they  had  been  made  friends,  so  Hestia 
presided  especially  over  true  and  faithful  deal- 
ing ;  and  as  the  household  was  the  centre  of 
all  kindly  affections,  she  was  represented  always 
as  pure  and  undefiled. 


HESTIA.  49 

96.  What  is  the  history  of  this  goddess  ? 

Little  more  is  told  of  Hestia  than  that  Posei- 
don sought  to  have  her  as  his  wife  and  that  she 
refused. 

97.  How  is  it  that  so  little  is  said  about  her  ? 
Because  her  name  was  one  of  those  words 

which  had  not  lost  its  meaning.  Hestia  con- 
tinued to  the  end,  as  she  had  been  from  the  be- 
ginning, the  household  altar,  the  sanctuary  of 
peace  and  equity,  and  the  source  of  all  happi- 
ness and  wealth. 

98.  "Was  Hestia,  then,  an  unimportant  deity  ? 

No.  The  influence  of  Hestia  was  perhaps 
more  deeply  felt,  and  wrought  more  good,  than 
that  of  any  other  Olympian  deity.  Her  wor- 
ship involved  direct  and  practical  duties.  She 
could  not  be  fitly  served  by  men  who  broke 
their  plighted  word,  or  dealt  treacherously  with 
those  whom  they  had  received  at  their  hearth  ; 
and  thus  her  worship  was  almost  an  unmixed 
good  both  for  households  and  for  the  State. 

99.  Was  Hestia,  then,  worshipped  by  cities  as  well  as  in 
private  homes  ? 

Yes.  Each  town  had  its  Prytaneium,  where 
the  prytanes  or  elders  held  their  meetings. 
There  the  sacred  fire,  burning  on  the  public 
hearth,  was  never  suffered  to  die  out.  If  at  any 

4 


50  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

time  it  went  out,  either  from  neglect  or  by  acci- 
dent, it  was  restored  by  fire  obtained  by  rub- 
bing pieces  of  wood  together,  or  by  kindling 
them  with  a  burning-glass,  and  never  by  ordi- 
nary fire. 

100.  When  a  city  sent  out  men  to  form  a  colony,  how 
was  the  bond  of  union  with  the  parent  State  kept  up  ? 

By  the  sacred  fire  of  Hestia,  a  portion  of 
which  was  carried  away  by  the  colonists,  to  be 
kept  alive  forever  in  their  new  home  ;  and  as 
long  as  this  fire  continued  burning,  they  felt  they 
still  had  a  common  interest  with  the  citizens  of 
their  old  country. 

101.  Was  the  office  of  Hestia  limited  to  the  hearths  of 
households  and  cities  ? 

No.  It  was  supposed  that  in  the  centre  of 
the  earth  there  was  a  hearth  which  answered  to 
the  hearth  placed  in  the  centre  of  the  whole 
universe. 

102.  Was  Hestia  worshipped  by  other  nations  besides  the 
Greeks  ? 

Yes.  By  the  Latins  and  Eomans,  under  the 
name  of  Vesta,  which  is  only  another  form  of 
the  same  word. 


DEMETER    ^ 

103.  Who  was  D£m£t£r  ? 

A  daughter  of  Cronos  and  Bhea,  and  a  sister 
of  Zeus,  Poseidon,  Hades,  Hestia,  and  Hera. 

104.  How  is  Derneter  chiefly  known  in  the  mythical 
tales  ? 

As  the  mother  grieving  for  the  loss  of  her 
child  Persephone.1 

105.  What  was  the  cause  of  this  sorrow  ? 

Zeus,  it  is  said,  had,  without  the  knowledge 
of  Demeter,  promised  Hades  that  Persephone 
should  be  his  wife  ;  and  while  the  maiden  was 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  The  Sorrow  of  Demeter." 


52  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

gathering  flowers  in  the  fields  of  Enna,  the  earth 
opened,  and  Hades,  appearing  in  a  chariot 
drawn  by  coal-black  horses,  took  her  away  to 
his  dark  home. 

106.  How  was  this  loss  borne  by  Demeter  ? 

She  put  on  a  dark  mourning-robe,  and,  re- 
fusing to  be  comforted,  wandered  with  a  torch 
in  her  hand  for  nine  days  and  nights  searching 
for  her  daughter. 

107.  Did  she  receive  any  aid  in  her  search  ? 

On  the  tenth  day  she  met  Hecate,  who  could 
not  say  where  the  maiden  was,  as  she  had  only 
heard  her  cry  when  Hades  seized  her.  Deme- 
ter then  went  to  Helios,  who  sees  all  things, 
and  from  him  she  learnt  that  Persephone  was 
now  queen  of  the  dark  realm  beneath  the  earth. 

108.  Was  Demeter  satisfied  with  these  tidings  ? 

No.  She  refused  to  visit  Olympus,  and  wan- 
dered over  the  earth,  mourning  and  weeping 
for  her  child. 

109.  What  was  the  effect  of  her  grief  and  anger  ? 

The  husbandmen  toiled  in  vain,  for  not  a  seed 
came  up  from  the  earth  ;  not  a  blossom  was 
seen  upon  the  trees  ;  and  it  seemed  that  all 
mortal  things  must  soon  die. 

110.  What  was  the  end  of  her  wanderings  ? 


DEMETER.  53 

Eoaming  along  in  her  great  agony,  she  came 
at  last  to  Eleusis,  and  sat  down  near  a  fountain, 
where  she  was  kindly  greeted  by  the  daughters 
of  King  Keleos  when  they  came  to  draw  water, 
and  at  their  entreaty  she  took  up  her  abode  in 
their  house. 

111.  Was  her  grief  now  assuaged? 

No.  During  her  year's  sojourn  at  Eleusis 
the  earth  still  shared  in  the  sorrow  of  Demeter, 
and  yielded  no  fruits. 

112.  How  did  she  recompense  the  kindness  which  she  re- 
ceived in  the  house  of  Keleos  ? 

On  this  subject  more  than  one  story  is  told. 
In  one,  it  is  said  that  she  nursed  Demophoon, 
the  son  of  Keleos,  and  that  under  her  care  the 
child  grew  up  glorious  in  beauty  ;  that  Demeter 
bathed  him  every  day  in  fire,  to  render  him  im- 
mortal, but  that  his  mother  Metaneira,  seeing 
him  in  the  fiery  bath,  screamed  with  fear,  and 
Demeter  told  her  that  but  for  her  cries  her  son 
would  have  known  neither  old  age  nor  death, 
whereas  now  he  must  grow  old  and  die  like 
other  men. 

113.  What  is  the  other  tale  ? 

According  to  this  version,  it  is  said  that  oil 
the  alarm  given  by  Metaneira,  Demeter  suffered 
the  child,  Demophoon,  to  be  consumed  by 


54:  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

flames,  but,  as  an  atonement  for  this,  she  gave 
to  his  brother,  Triptolemus,  a  chariot  drawn  by 
winged  dragons,  and  taught  him  how  to  plough 
the  earth  and  to  sow  wheat. 

114.  How  is  the  story  of  Demeter  continued  ? 

The  terrible  drought  and  famine  caused  by 
the  anger  of  Demeter  is  said  to  have  convinced 
Zeus  that  every  thing  on  the  earth  must  die 
unless  her  grief  could  be  soothed ;  but  as  she 
would  listen  to  no  prayers  until  her  child  was 
brought  back  to  her,  Zeus  at  last  sent  Hermes, 
who  returned  with  Persephone  from  Hades. 

115.  Where  did  the  meeting  take  place,  and  what  fol- 
lowed it  ? 

At  Eleusis  :  and  the  grief  of  Demeter  being 
now  swallowed  up  in  a  deeper  joy,  the  earth  and 
all  things  in  it  shared  her  gladness,  and  peace 
and  plenty  returned  to  every  land. 

116.  Did  Persephone"  remain  altogether  with  Demeter  ? 

No.  Before  Hermes  took  her  away,  Hades 
gave  her  some  pomegranate  seeds  to  eat,  and 
she  was  thus  bound  to  return  to  his  dreary 
kingdom. 

117.  Did  Demeter  consent  to  this  ? 

Not  being  able  to  keep  her  daughter  always 
with  her,  she  agreed  that  Persephone  should 


DEMETER.  55 

spend  a  certain  portion  of  each  year  (some  said 
four,  others  six  months)  with  Hades. 

118.  What  memorial  is  slie  said  to  have  left  of  her  pres- 
ence at  Eleusis  ? 

Having  bidden  Keleos  to  build  a  temple  for 
her  worship,  she  taught  him  and  his  people  the 
great  Eleusinian  mysteries,  which  were  regularly 
celebrated  there  in  her  honor. 

119.  How  was  this  legend  regarded  by  the  people  of 
Eleusis  ? 

As  the  history  of  events  which  had  actually 
occurred  at  the  place. 

120.  What  was  the  origin  of  the  legend  ? 

It  grew  up  out  of  the  old  phrases  which  had 
at  first  described  the  changes  of  summer  and 
winter. 

121.  What,  then,  is  Demeter  ? 

She  is  the  earth,  who  was  called  tlie  mother  of 
all  things,  and  more  particularly  the  mother  of 
the  maiden  (Kore). 

122.  How  did  this  furnish  a  groundwork  for  the  later 
legend  ? 

When  the  spring-time  came,  men  had  said, 
once,  that  the  daughter  of  the  Earth  was  re- 
turning in  all  her  beauty  ;  and  when  summer 
faded  into  winter,  they  said  that  the  beautiful 
child  had  been  stolen  away  from  her  mother  by 


56  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

dark  beings,  who  kept  her  imprisoned  beneath 
the  earth. 

123.  What,  then,  is  the  sorrow  of  Derneter  ? 

The  gloom  which  falls  on  the  earth  during 
the  cheerless  months  of  winter. 

124  Is  this  story  found  in  the  legends  of  other  nations  ? 

Yes.  It  exists  in  many  versions,  especially 
in  the  legends  of  northern  countries.  In  these 
Persephone  is  a  beautiful  maiden,  who,  while 
the  earth  without  is  cold  and  dead,  lies  wrapped 
in  slumber,  hidden  away  from  all  mortal  eyes. 

125.  Do  these  stories  resemble  the  Greek  tale  in  any  other 
way? 

Yes.  As  Demeter  is  the  earth,  which  is  full 
of  mineral  treasures  as  well  as  of  fruit-giving 
seeds,  the  idea  of  wealth  was  connected  with 
her  name,  and  the  loss  of  Persephone  was  the 
taking  away  of  her  treasures.  So  in  the  Norse 
tales,  the  Niflungs  (or  the  children  of  the  mist) 
hide  away  the  treasures  of  the  earth,  until  they 
are  compelled  to  yield  them  up  again  by  one  to 
whom  they  must  submit,  as  Hades  submits  to 
the  bidding  of  Hermes. 

128.  Where  are  Enna  and  Eleusis  ? 

There  is  an  Enna  in  Sicily  and  an  Eleusis  in 
Attica  ;  but  the  Enna  and  Eleusis  of  the  legend 


DEMETER.  57 

are  names  of  the  same  kind  as  Delos,  Lycia, 
and  Ortygia,  the  land  of  light  where  Phoebus 
Apollo  is  born.  The  word  Eleusis  means  a 
coming  or  an  approach,  and  would  naturally  bo 
applied  to  the  return  of  spring  after  her  absence 
during  winter,  and  to  the  spot  where  the  mother 
might  be  supposed  to  meet  her  child. 


ATHENA,  OR  ATHENE. 

127.  Who  was  Athena  ? 

The  daughter  of  Zens,  who  is  said  to  have 
sprung  from  the  forehead  of  her  father,  when, 
according  to  some  poets,  Hephaestus  had  split 
it  open  with  an  axe. 

128.  How  is  this  strange  tale  to  be  explained  ? 

By  comparing  the  Greek  with  the  Hindu  tale, 
which  gives  it  in  an  earlier  form. 

129.  What  does  this  comparison  teach  us  ? 

That  Athena  is  a  name  for  the  Dawn,  who  is 
in  the  Indian  poems  called  Ahana  and  Dahana. 


ATHENA.  59 

130.  How  docs  this  explain  her  springing  from  the  fore- 
head of  her  father  ? 

As  Zeus  was  a  name  for  the  sky  or  heaven, 
so  the  Dawn  was  said  to  spring  from  the  fore- 
head of  the  sky — in  other  words,  from  the  east. 

131.  What  has  this  to  do  with  the  axe  of  Hephaestus  ? 

This  part  of  the  story  grew  up  out  of  an  ex- 
pression which  had  said  only  that  the  morning 
light  opened  or  lit  up  the  dark  face  or  forehead 
of  the  sky. 

132.  What  names  were  given  to  Athena,  as  having  been 
so  born  ? 

She  was  called  in  some  Greek  States  Kory- 
phasia  (from  Koryphe,  a  head)  and  Akria  (t*p- 
most),  and  by  the  Eomans  Capta  (from  caput, 
the  head). 

133.  How  was  her  name  Tritogeneia  explained  ? 

By  some  it  was  thought  to  mean  that  she  was 
born  on  the  third  day  (from  trita,  third) ;  but 
this  explanation  has  no  meaning.  Others  ex- 
plained it  by  the  word  Trito,  which  in  one  Greek 
dialect  meant  a  head  ;  and  others  again  said 
that  she  was  so  called  as  having  been  born  on 
the  banks  of  the  Libyan  lake  Tritonis,  or  of  the 
river  Triton. 

134.  Are  any  of  these  explanations  sufficient  ? 

No.     There  were  many  rivers  called  Triton, 


60  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

and  hence  we  have  to  find  out  what  is  meant  by 
the  word  Triton. 

135.  Can  this  be  ascertained  ? 

Yes.  In  the  oldest  Hindu  or  Sanskrit  hymns 
we  read  of  a  god  called  Trita,  who  rules  over 
the  air  and  the  waters.  This  Triton  is  really 
the  same  god  as  Dyu  or  Zeus,  the  sky ;  and 
hence  Tritogeneia  is  the  daughter  of  the  sky — 
or,  in  other  words,  the  morning. 

136.  What  was  the  earliest  office  of  Athena  ? 

That  of  waking  people  from  their  slumbers  : 
hence,  next  to  the  owl,  the  cock  (the  bird  of  the 
morning)  is  sacred  to  Athena. 

137.  But  is  not  Athena  also  the  goddess  of  wisdom  ? 

Yes.  As  in  the  ancient  language  of  India  the 
same  word  which  means  to  wake  means  also  to 
know,  so  the  goddess  who  made  people  wake 
was  thought  to  be  the  goddess  who  made  people 
to  know. 

138.  Are  there  any  variations  in  the  legends  of  Athena  ? 

Yes.  According  to  some,  she  was  a  child,  not 
of  Zeus,  but  of  the  winged  giant,  Pallas,  or  of 
Poseidon,  or  Hephaestus.  While  others  again 
speak  of  her  as  always  a  maiden,  others  say  that 
Apollo  was  her  son. 

139.  How  is  this  to  be  explained  ? 


ATHENA.  Gl 

As  following  the  dawn,  Apollo  may  be  called 
the  son  of  Athena  ;  but  if  he  is  regarded  as 
springing  from  the  night,  he  is  the  son  of  Leto. 

140.  In  what  relation  does  she  stand  to  Zeus  ? 

Generally,  in  that  ef  perfect  harmony  and 
submission. 

141.  What  exceptions  are  there  to  this  rule  ? 

She  shared  in  the  conspiracy  of  Poseidon  and 
H®ra  to  dethrone  or  imprison  Zeus,  and  she 
aided  Prometheus  in  stealing  fire  from  heaven 
against  the  will  of  Zeus.  She  is  also  said  to 
have  done  this  from  a  passionate  love  for  Pro- 
metheus, whereas  she  is  generally  described  as 
insensible  to  all  such  feelings. 

142.  Is  Athena  introduced  into  many  legends  ? 

She  appears,  throughout  the  Iliad,  as  the 
goddess  who  knows  most  deeply  the  mind  of 
Zeus,  and  as  the  guide  and  comforter  of  Achilles, 
Odysseus,  and  other  heroes. 

143.  Are  there  any  stories  in  which  she  is  described  as 
acting  from  unworthy  or  unseemly  motives  ? 

In  the  legend  of  Pandora,1  she  takes  part  in 
the  plot  which  results  in  increasing  the  misery 
of  mankind. 

144.  What  city  hears  the  name  of  this  goddess  ? 
Athens,  which  is  said  to  have  been  named 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Epimetheus  and  Pandora." 


G2          MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

after  her  when  she  produced  the  olive-tree  as  a 
better  gift  for  man  than  the  horse,  which  had 
been  created  by  Poseidon,  wrho  wished  the  city 
to  be  called  Poseidonia. 

145.  How  is  Athena  represented  ? 

As  the  goddess  with  the  bright  or  gleaming 
eyes  (Glaukopis),  and  as  having  on  her  aegis  or 
cloak  the  face  of  the  Gorgon  Medusa,  which 
turned  all  who  looked  on  it  into  stone. 

146.  What  celebrated  temple  was  dedicated  to  her  honor  ? 
The  Parthenon,  on  the  Acropolis  of  Athens, 

before  which  stood  the  colossal  statue  of  the 
goddess,  carved  in  gold  and  ivory  by  the  great 
sculptor  Pheidias,  the  friend  of  Pericles  (in  the 
fifth  century  B.  c.) 

147.  Was  Athena  known  to  the  Romans  and  Latins  ? 

Not  under  this  name  ;  but  their  goddess  Mi- 
nerva so  nearly  resembles  her,  that  both  may  be 
regarded  as  the  same  deity. 

148.  What,  then,  are  the  points  of  difference  between 
Athena  and  Minerva  ? 

The  idea  of  the  Latin  goddess  is  far  higher 
than  that  of  the  Greek.  The  name  Minerva  is 
connected  with  the  Latin  word  mens,  which  is 
the  same  as  the  Greek  menos,  and  the  English 
mind  ;  that  of  Athena  conveys  only  the  idea  of 
outward,  not  of  mental  brightness. 


ARES.  ,    , 
f£ 

149.  Who  was  Ares  ? 

A  son,  according  to  some  stories,  of  Zeus  and 
Hera,  and  the  god  of  the  din  and  tumult  of  war. 

150.  Was  he  not  the  god  of  war  itself? 

Not  strictly,  unless  war  is  to  be  regarded  as 
a  mere  desire  for  fighting.  No  higher  idea  than 
this  enters  into  the  notion  of  Ares.  He  changes 
capriciously  from  one  side  to  another,  and  even 
takes  pleasure  in  plaguing  men  with  sicknesses 
and  epidemics. 

151.  Does  the  character  of  Ares  stand  high  in  Greek  tra- 
dition ? 


64  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

No.  He  is  frequently  overcome,  and  when  he 
is  wounded,  his  roar  is  as  loud  as  that  of  nine 
or  ten  thousand  warriors.  He  is  also  noted 
chiefly  by  his  huge  size  and  his  bodily  strength  ; 
and  when  prostrate  on  the  battle-field,  his  body 
was  said  to  cover  many  roods  of  ground. 

152.  Wliat  is  the  origin  of  the  name  ? 

It  comes  from  ihe  same  root  with  the  name 
of  the  Latin  god  Mars,  and  the  Maruts  of  In- 
dian mythology,  and  means  the  grinder  or 
crusher. 

153.  To  what  objects  was  this  name  first  applied  ? 

To  the  storms  which  throw  heaven  and  earth 
into  confusion ;  and  hence  the  idea  of  Ares  is 
confined  to  mere  disorder  and  tumult. 

154.  With  what  goddess  is  the  name  of  Ares  chiefly  con- 
nected ? 

"With  Aphrodite,  whose  love  he  is  said  to 
have  obtained  ;  but  when  she  seemed  to  favor 
Adonis,  Ares  is  described  in  some  versions  as 
changing  himself  into  the  boar  which  slew  the 
youth  of  whom  he  was  jealous. 

155.  What  court  at  Athens  bore  the  name  of  Ares  ? 

That  of  Areiopagus,  as  being  built  on  the  Hill 
of  Ares. 

156.  How  did  the  hill  receive  this  name  ? 


ABES.  G5 

It  is  said  that  Ares,  having  slain  Halir- 
rhothios,  the  son  of  Poseidon,  was  accused  by 
the  latter  before  the  Olympian  gods.  Ares  was 
acquitted,  and  the  court  was  called  after  his 
name.  /> 


x< 

VAPHRODITE.  /  &m 

157.  What  is  the  generally  received  legend  about  the 
birth  of  Aphrodite? 

It  is  said  that  she  sprang  from  the  bright 
foam  of  the  sea,  and  was  therefore  called  Aph- 
rodite (Aphros,  froth),  and  Anadyomene  (she 
who  rises  up). 

158.  Whose  daughter  was  she  ? 

According  to  some  tales,  she  was  a  child  of 
Ouranos  (heaven)  and  Heniera  (day)  ;  but  in  the 
Iliad  she  is  called  the  daughter  of  Zeus  and 
Dione. 

159.  What,  then,  was  Aphrodite  originally  ? 


ArHEODITE.  67 

A  name  for  the  dawn,  as  it  rises  from  the  sea 
in  the  east ;  and  as  the  dawn  is  the  most  lovely 
of  the  sights  of  nature,  Aphrodite  became  natu- 
rally to  the  Greek  the  goddess  of  beauty  and 
love. 

160.  Does  this  agree  with  the  legends  of  other  countries  ? 

Yes.  In  the  oldest  Vedic  hymns  of  the  Hin- 
dus the  morning  is  called  Duhita  Divah,  the 
daughter  of  Dyaus,  just  as  Aphrodite  is  the 
daughter  of  Zeus. 

161.  What  other  name  is  given  to  the  Morning  in  these 
hymns  ? 

She  is  called  Arjuni,  the  bright  or  glistening. 

162.  Is  this  name  found  in  Greek  mythology  ? 

Yes.  In  the  form  Argynnis,  who  is  described 
as  a  young  woman  beloved  by  Agamemnon. 

163.  How  did  this  story  spring  up  ? 

Because  the  real  meaning  of  the  word  Argyn- 
nis had  been  forgotten,  and  only  the  idea  of  her 
beauty  had  been  remembered.  Argynnis  there- 
fore became  to  Agamemnon  what  Helen  was  to 
Menelaiis. 

164  By  whom  was  Aphrodite  attended  ? 

By  the  Hora3  (or  Hours),  and  more  especially 
by  the  Charites,  or  Graces. 

165.  Are  the  Charites  found  in  other  legends  besides  the 
Greek  ? 


68  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

In  the  Vedic  hymns  they  are  spoken  of  as 
the  Harits,  or  horses  of  the  dawn. 

166.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  name  ? 

It  signifies  brightness  produced  by  anointing 
with  fat  or  oil.  This  gave  the  idea  of  splendor, 
and  so  the  horses  of  the  dawn  became,  in  the 
mind  of  the  Greeks,  the  lovely  attendants  of 
Aphrodite. 

167.  Mention  any  other  names  of  Aphrodite. 

She  was  called  Enalia  and  Pontia,  both  of 
which  names  mean  that  she  belonged  to  the 
sea.  She  was  also  called  Urania  and  Pande- 
mos,  or  the  goddess  of  pure,  as  well  as  gross 
and  sensual  love. 

168.  What  does  this  show  ? 

That  the  loveliness  of  the  morning  suggested 
the  idea  of  tenderness  and  love,  and  that  this 
idea  passed  into  many  shapes,  according  to  the 
mind  of  the  nations  among  whom  these  tradi- 
tions came. 

169.  Was  the  worship  of  Aphrodite  general  ? 

It  was  found  everywhere  ;  but  her  most  cele- 
brated temples  were  in  Cythera  and  Cyprus, 
in  Cnidos,  Paphos,  and  Corinth. 

170.  How  was  Aphrodite  connected  with  the  tale  of  the 
Trojan  war? 


APHRODITE.  G9 

At  the  marriage-feast  of  Peleus  and  Thetis, 
Eris  (strife)  threw  down  a  golden  apple  to  be 
given  to  the  loveliest  of  the  goddesses.  The 
prize  was  claimed  by  Hera,  Athena,  and  Aphro- 
dite ;  and  Zeus  decreed  that  Paris,  the  son  of 
Priam,  should  be  judge.  Paris  gave  it  to 
Aphrodite,  who  tempted  him  to  steal  away 
Helen  from  Sparta ;  and  this  wrong  done  to 
Menelaiis,  the  husband  of  Helen,  led  to  the 
Trojan  war. 

171.  Who  was  the  husband  of  Aphrodite  ? 

In  the  Homeric  poems,  she  is  called  the  wife 
of  Hephaestus  : — the  meaning  of  this  being  that 
the  dawn  is  the  bride  of  the  light.  She  had 
also  many  lovers  and  many  children  ;  and  the 
names,  in  most  cases,  explain  themselves.  As 
rising  from  the  sea,  she  was  loved  by  Poseidon  ; 
as  stirring  up  a  tumult  of  passion  in  the  heart, 
she  was  loved  by  Ares,  and  became  the  mother 
of  Deimos,  Harmonia,  and  Eros  (Fear,  Har- 
mony, and  Love). 

172.  What  other  stories  are  told  of  her  ? 

It  is  said  that  she  loved  Anchises,  and  became 
the  mother  of  2Eneas,  the  ancestor  of  Eomulus. 
But  she  is  more  particularly  known  as  the  lover 
of  Adonis. 


70  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

173.  Does  the  name  Adonis  belong  to  Greek  mythology  ? 

No.  It  is  a  Syrian  or  Hebrew  word,  signify- 
ing Lord. 

174.  Under  what  other  name  was  Adonis  worshipped  in 
Syria  ? 

Under  that  of  Tammuz.1 

175.  What  is  the  story  of  Adonis? 

It  is  said  that  his  great  beauty  charmed  Aph- 
rodite, but  that  he  did  not  return  her  love  ;  and 
that  while  yet  in  the  spring-time  of  his  youth 
he  died  from  the  bite  of  a  wild  boar,  who  tore 
his  flesh  with  his  tusk. 

176.  Is  this  tale  like  any  other  ? 

It  resembles  very  many  in  which  the  hero 
dies  young,  or  is  smitten  by  a  tusk,  or  spear,  or 
thorn,  or  arrow.  Thus  in  the  Persian  story, 
Isfendiyar  is  killed  by  a  thorn  thrown  into  his 
eye  by  Eustem  ;  and  in  the  Norse  tales  Sigurd 
is  also  killed  by  a  lance,  as  Paris  is  slain  by 
the  poisoned  arrows  of  Heracles. 

177.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  tale  of  Aphrodite  and 
Adonis  ? 

The  sorrow  of  Aphrodite  for  Adonis  is  the 
grief  of  Demeter  for  the  loss  of  Persephone.  In 
the  latter,  the  earth  mourns  the  departure  of 

1  Ezekiel,  viii.  14. 


APHRODITE.  71 

summer ;  in  the  former,  the  dawn  or  twilight  is 
described  as  grieving  for  the  death  of  the  short- 
lived sun. 

178.  Do  the  stories  about  Aphrodite  express  any  one 
idea? 

No.  She  is  represented  in  many  ways,  some- 
times pure,  sometimes  gentle  and  loving,  some- 
times strong  and  vehement,  sometimes  indolent 
and  listless,  and  sometimes  as  flushed  with  vic- 
tory. In  the  temples  of  Sparta,  she  was  rep- 
resented as  a  conquering  goddess  in  armor,  just 
as  later  poets  spoke  of  Eros  (love)  as  being  in- 
vincible in  battle. 


'•^V     N 


HEPHAESTUS. 

179.  How  is  Hephaestus  described  ? 

As  the  smith  of  the  gods,  who  forges  irre- 
sistible weapons,  but  is  lame  and  ugly. 

180.  Why  is  he  thus  described  ? 

Because  Hephaestus  is,  strictly,  the  brightness 
of  flame,  and  as  the  flame  comes  from  a  little 
spark,  so  he  was  represented  as  puny  and  de- 
formed at  his  birth,  but  as  strong  and  powerful 
when  grown  up. 

181.  What  stories  are  told  of  Hephastus  ? 

He  is  called  the  son  of  Zeus  and  Hera,  but 


HEPHAESTUS.  73 

sometimes  of  Hera  only.  His  ugliness,  it  is 
said,  so  displeased  his  mother,  that  she  wished 
to  cast  him  out  of  Olympus ;  and  when,  after- 
ward, he  took  her  part  in  a  quarrel,  Zeus  hurled 
him  down  from  heaven,  and  he  fell  maimed  and 
wounded  in  Lemnos,  where  he  was  kindly 
treated  by  the  Sintians.  Still  he  remained  the 
cupbearer  of  the  gods,  while  he  also  forged  ar- 
mor and  weapons.  Thus  when  the  armor  of 
Achilles  had  been  taken  by  Hector  from  the 
body  of  Patroclus,  Hephaestus,  at  the  prayer  of 
Thetis,  made  a  new  suit,  which  shone  like  the 
burnished  sun,  and  bore  him  aloft  like  a  bird 
upon  the  wing. 

182.  Who  was  the  wife  of  Hephaestus  ? 

In  some  versions  Aphrodite,  in  others  Charis, 
and  in  others  again  Aglaia, — all  three  meaning 
that  the  flame  of  fire  is  akin  to  the  brightness 
of  the  sun's  light. 

183.  Is  Hephaestus  found  ir  the  traditions  of  other  nations 
besides  the  Greeks  ? 

Not  under  this  name.  By  the  Latins  and 
Eomans  of  later  times  he  was  known  as  Vulcan. 
In  the  Vedic  poems  he  is  called  Agni,  which  is 
the  same  as  the  Latin  word  Ignis,  fire. 

184.  In  these  traditions  is  he  described  in  the  same  way  ? 
In  this  and  in  other  legends  the  Latins  seem 


74  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

to  have  borrowed  many  of  the  Greek  notions  ; 
but  the  Hindu  poets  dwelt  rather  on  the 
strength  of  the  newly  kindled  flame  than  on  its 
puniness,  for,  instead  of  saying,  as  we  do,  that 
fire  burns  and  the  wood  smokes,  they  said, 
"  Neighing  like  a  horse  that  is  greedy  for  food, 
it  steps  out  from  the  strong  prison  ;  then  the 
wind  blows  after  his  blast,  and  the  path  of 
Agni  is  dark  at  once." 

185.  Is  the  same  idea  found  in  the  mythology  of  northern 
Europe  ? 

Yes.  In  the  story  of  Sigurd,  who  is  the 
Achilles  or  Perseus  of  Norse  legends,  Begin, 
the  smith  of  Hialprek,  king  of  Denmark,  an- 
swers precisely  to  Hephaestus,  like  whom  he 
forges  weapon's  which  no  enemy  can  withstand. 


PHCEBUS  APOLLO. 

186.  Who  was  Plicebus  Apollo  ? 
A  son  of  Zeus  and  Lefco. 

187.  Why  was  he  so  named  ? 

He  was  called  Phoebus,  as  being  the  god  of 
light,  and  Apollo,  a  name  explained  by  some  as 
meaning  the  destroyer,  because  the  sun's  rays, 
when  powerful,  can  destroy  the  life  of  animals 
and  plants. 

188.  Is  Phoebus,  then,  only  a  name  for  the  sun  ? 

It  was  nothing  more  at  first ;  but  in  later 
times  he  was  regarded  as  the  god  of  light,  who 


76  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

was  not  confined  to  his  habitation  in  the  sun. 
This  was  reserved  for  Helios,  who  stands  to 
Phoebus  in  the  relation  of  Nereus  to  Poseidon. 

189.  Why  is  Phoebus  described  as  a  son  of  Zeus  and 
Leto? 

He  is  called  son  of  Zeus  because  the  sun,  like 
Athena,  or  the  dawn,  springs  in  the  morning 
from  the  sky ;  and  son  of  Leto  because  the 
night,  as  going  before  his  rising,  may  be  con- 
sidered as  the  mother  of  the  sun. 

190.  Does  the  name  Leto  reappear  in  any  other  form  ? 
It  is  the  same  word  as  Lethe,  the  river  which 

made  men  forget  the  past,  and  Latmos,  the  land 
of  shadows,  in  which  Endymion  sleeps.  The 
same  root  is  seen  also  in  the  name  of  Leda,  the 
mother  of  the  twin  Dioscuri. 

191.  What  is  the  story  of  his  birth  ? 

It  is  said  that  Leto  wandered  through  many 
lands,  seeking  in  vain  for  a  resting-place,  and 
that  at  last  she  came  to  Delos,  and  said  that 
if  she  could  there  have  shelter,  it  should  be- 
come glorious  as  the  birthplace  of  Phoebus,  and 
that  men  should  come  from  all  parts  to  enrich 
his  holy  temple  with  their  gifts.  Here,  then, 
Phoebus  was  born,  and  at  his  birth  the  earth 
laughed  beneath  the  smile  of  heaven,  and  Delos, 
though  in  itself  a  hard  and  stony  land,  cov- 


PHCEBUS  ArOLLO.  77 

ered  itself  with  golden  flowers.  The  nymphs 
wrapped  him  in  a  spotless  robe,  and  when 
Themis  fed  him  with  nectar  and  ambrosia,  the 
child  took  harp  in  hand,  and  proclaimed  his  of- 
fice of  declaring  the  will  of  Zeus  to  men.1 

192.  Why  is  he  said  to  be  born  in  Delos  ? 
Because  Delos  means  the  bright  land. 

193.  Do  all  the  stories  say  that  he  was  born  in  Delos  ? 

No.  He  is  called  Lykegenes,  as  having  been 
born  in  Lycia  ;  and  in  some  versions,  Ortygia  is 
mentioned  as  the  birthplace  both  of  Phoebus 
and  of  his  sister  Artemis. 

194.  Where  are  Lycia  and  Ortygia  ? 

There  was  a  Lycia  in  Asia,  and  an  Ortygia 
near  Ephesus,  as  well  as  in  Sicily ;  but  the 
Lycia  and  Ortygia  of  these  legends  must  be 
sought  in  the  beautiful  Cloudland. 

195.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  names  ? 

Lycia  is  a  word  which,  like  Delos,  means  the 
land  of  light,  and  reappears  in  the  Latin  words 
lux,  light,  luceo,  to  shine,  and  Lucna  or  Luna, 
the  moon.  Ortygia  is  the  land  of  the  quail, 
which  was  said  to  be  the  earliest  bird  of  spring ; 
hence  the  quail-land  became  a  name  for  the 
East,  where  the  sun  rises. 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    **  The  Delian  Apollo." 


78  MANUAL   OF.  MYTHOLOGY. 

196.  Did  Phoebus  remain  long  in  Delos  ? 

No.  He  soon  left  it  to  find  liis  way  west- 
ward to  Pvtho  or  Delphi. 

197.  Why  did  he  so  soon  leave  his  birthplace  ? 

Because  the  sun  cannot  linger  in  the  east 
when  he  is  risen  ;  and  so  the  poets  sang  how 
Apollo  went  from  land  to  land,  and  how  he 
loved  the  tall  sea-cliffs  and  every  jutting  head- 
land and  the  rivers  which  hasten  to  the  broad 
sea,  although  he  came  back  with  ever  fresh  de- 
light to  his  native  Delos,  as  the  sun  reappears 
morning  after  morning,  glorious  as  ever,  in  the 
east. 

198.  What  change  came  over  him  soon  after  his  birth  ? 

At  first  he  was  swathed  in  golden  bands, 
which  denote  the  mild  and  gentle  light  of  the 
newly  risen  sun ;  but  presently  he  became  the 
Chrysaor,  or  god  of  the  golden  sword,  and  his 
quiver  was  filled  with  arrows  which  never  miss 
their  mark. 

199.  Are  these  irresistible  weapons  given  to  other  mythi- 
cal heroes  ? 

Yes.  To  Perseus,  Theseus,  Bellerophon,  He- 
racles, Philoctetes,  Achilles,  Odysseus,  Melea- 
gros,  Sigurd,  Eustem,  and  many  others. 

200.  What  are  the  incidents  of  Apollo's  journey  to  the 
Western  Pytho  ? 


PHCEBUS  APOLLO.  79 

Passing  through  many  lands,  he  came  to  the 
fountain  of  Telphusa,  where  he  wished  to  build 
himself  a  home  ;  but  Telphusa,  saying  that  her 
broad  plain  could  give  him  no  peaceful  abode, 
urged  him  to  go  on  to  the  more  favored  land 
of  Crisa.  So  Phoebus  went  on,  and  coming  to 
Crisa,  built  himself  a  shrine  beneath  Mount 
Parnassus,  and  there  slew  the  great  dragon 
Python,  who  nursed  Typhaon,  the  child  of 
Hera. 

201.  What  is  this  Python  ? 

It  is  the  great  dragon  or  snake  which  appears 
in  all  solar  legends.  It  is  the  Vritra  of  the 
Indian  tale,  the  Echidna  of  the  story  of  He- 
racles, the  Sphinx  in  that  of  (Edipus,  and  the 
dragon  Fafnir  of  the  glistening  heath  in  the 
tale  of  Sigurd. 

202.  W"as  the  temple  which  Phoebus  is  said  to  have  built 
at  Delphi  celebrated  in  after- times  ? 

It  was  the  greatest  of  all  the  oracles  in 
Greece,  and  its  fame  was  extended  through  all 
lands.  When  Xerxes  invaded  Greece,  the  force 
which  he  sent  to  plunder  the  sanctuary  at 
Delphi  is  said  to  have  been  smitten  by  Phoebus 
Apollo,  who  hurled  on  them  great  rocks  torn 
from  the  summit  of  Parnassus. 

203.  Who  were  the  priests  of  this  temple  ? 


80  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

They  are  said  to  have  been  Cretans,  whose 
ship  Apollo,  in  the  form  of  a  glistening  dolphin, 
guided  round  the  Peloponnesus  to  the  shores 
of  Crisa,  where  the  god  came  forth  from  the 
sea  like  a  star,  and  filled  the  heavens  with  the 
brightness- of  his  glory.  Then  having  kindled 
on  his  altar  the  undying  fire,  he  taught  the 
Cretans  the  sacred  rites  of  his  worship,  and 
charged  them  to  deal  truly  and  righteously  with 
all  who  came  with  their  offerings  to  his  sanc- 
tuary.1 

204.  What  other  acts  are  attributed  to  Phoebus  ? 

He  is  said  to  have  been  a  lover  of  Daphne, 
who,  to  escape  his  pursuit,  plunged  into  the 
waters  of  Peneius,  her  father.2 

205.  What  is  the  meaning  of  this  tale  ? 

That  Phoebus,  as  the  sun-god,  is  a  lover  of  the 
dawn,  who  is  variously  called  Ahana,  Dahana, 
Athena,  and  Daphne.  The  vanishing  of  Daphne 
in  the  stream  is  the  disappearance  of  Eurydike 
(Eurydice)  when  Orpheus  turns  round  too  soon 
to  look  on  her. 

206.  Are  any  more  stories  of  this  kind  told  about  him  ? 
He  is  said  to  have  won  the  love  of  Coronis, 

the  mother  of  his  son  Asklepios  (JEsculapius), 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  The  Pythian  Apollo." 

2  Ibid.    "Daphne." 


PIKEBUS  APOLLO.  81 

and  to  have  deserted  her  as  Heracles  leaves 
lole,  and  Paris  and  Sigurd  forsake  OEnone  and 
Brynhild. 

207.  How  are  these  desertions  to  be  explained  ? 

As  the  sun,  who  may  not  tarry  in  his  journey, 
may  be  said  to  forsake  the  fair  and  gentle  dawn 
for  the  garish  and  flaunting  noonday,  so  all  the 
gods  or  heroes  whose  names  were  at  first  only 
names  for  the  sun,  are  described  as  abandoning 
those  to  whom  they  had  given  their  first  love. 

208.  Is  Apollo  presented  to  us  in  any  other  aspects  ? 

Yes  ;  like  Heracles,  Perseus,  and  Bellerophon, 
he  is  compelled  to  toil  for  others  without  a  re- 
compense, as  the  sun  was  said  to  toil  for  the 
children  of  men  against  their  will.  Thus  he 
has  to  serve  for  a  year  in  the  house  of  King  Ad- 
metus. 

209.  Why  is  he  called  the-  father  of  Asklepios  (^Escula- 
pius)  ? 

Because  the  sun's  warmth  can  ward  off  dis- 
eases, or  lessen  pain  and  suffering,  as  well  as 
inflict  them. 

210.  By  what  other  names  is  Apollo  known  ? 

He  is  called  Hecatos  and  Hecaergos — names 
which  signify  the  action  of  the  sun's  rays  at  a 
distance  from  the  sun  itself. 

6 


82  MANUAL  OF   MYTHOLOGY. 

211.  Are  these  names  given  to  any  other  besides  Phoebus  ? 
Yes  ;  Hecate,  the  moon,  answers  to  Hecatos, 

just  as  Telephassa  answers  to  Telephos. 

212.  Why  is  Apollo  called  the  god  of  prophecy  and 
wisdom  ? 

As  the  rays  of  Helios  penetrate  all  space  and 
spy  out  all  hidden  things,  the  idea  of  wisdom 
was  early  connected  with  the  name  of  the  sun- 
god.  Thus  Apollo  is  said  to  know  the  mind  of 
Zeus  more  intimately  than  any  other  of  the 
gods,  and  although  he  may  impart  many  se- 
crets, there  are  others  which  he  must  never 
reveal. 

213.  Is  he  not  also  called  the  god  of  song  and  music  ? 

Yes  ;  but  in  the  earliest  form  of  the  legend 
he  is  said  to  have  acquired  those  gifts  from 
Hermes,  to  whom  they  belonged  by  birthright. 

214.  Was  the  worship  of  Apollo  common  among  the 
Greeks  ? 

It  was  most  widely  spread,  and  had  the 
greatest  influence  in  forming  the  Greek  charac- 
ter. Under  the  shadow  of  his  temple  at  Del- 
phi, the  Amphictyonic  council,  the  great  reli- 
gious association  of  the  Greeks,  held  their 
meetings ;  and  the  answers  given  by  the  Del- 
phian priestess  are  said  to  have  changed  more 
than  once  the  current  of  Greek  history. 


AKTEMIS.  ~-Q 

215.  Who  was  Artemis  ? 

A  sister  of  Phoebus  Apollo — according  to 
some  legends  a  twin  sister,  while  according  to 
others  she  was  born  before  him. 

216.  How  is  she  described  ? 

As  possessing  almost  all  the  powers  of  her 
brother,  and  exhibiting  all  his  qualities.  Thus, 
like  him,  she  heals  diseases  and  sends  plagues, 
and,  like  him,  she  shoots  arrows  which  never 
miss  their  mark. 

217.  What  are  the  events  in  her  histoiy  ? 
Properly  speaking,  Artemis  has  no  mythical 


84  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

history,  although  she  is  concerned  in  the  for- 
tunes of  others.  Thus  she  gives  to  Procris  her 
hound  and  her  resistless  spear,  and  she  heals 
JEneas  when  wounded  in  the  Trojan  war.  She 
also  sends  the  Calydonian  boar  as  a  requital 
for  some  affront  which  had  been  passed  on  her ; 
and  for  the  same  reason  she  insists  on  the  sac- 
rifice of  Iphigeneia,  the  daughter  of  Agamem- 
non. 

218.  What  is  the  peculiarity  of  these  tales  ? 

That  Atalanta,  the  maiden  who  first  smites 
the  Calydonian  boar,  is  a  counterpart-  of  the 
virgin  goddess ;  and  that  Iphigeneia,  having 
been  rescued  from  her  doom,  became  a  priestess 
in  one  of  her  temples,  and  was,  in  some  places, 
worshipped  as  Artemis. 

219.  What  was  the  birthplace  of  Artemis  ? 

In  some  stories,  Delos  ;  in  others,  Ortygia— 
names  which  enter  into  the  legends  of  Phoebus. 

220.  Was  the  idea  attached  to  the  name  Artemis  every- 
where the  same  ? 

No ;  the  idea  of  the  Greek  Artemis  differs 
from  that  of  the  Ephesian  Artemis,  as  much 
as  the  Syrian  Adonis  differs  from  the  Greek 
Achilles. 


HERMES. 


221.  What  is  the  story  of  the  birth  of  Hermes  ? 

This  son  of  Zeus  and  Maia  is  said  to  have 
been  born  early  in  the  morning  in  a  cave  of  the 
Kyllenian  hill,  and  to  have  slumbered  peace- 
fully in  his  cradle  for  two  or  three  hours,  when 
stepping  forth  from  the  cave,  he  found  a  tor- 
toise, which  he  killed,  and  with  its  shell  he 
made  a  lyre  by  fastening  sheepgut  cords  across 
it.1 

222.  What  was  his  first  exploit  after  making  his  lyre  ? 
As  the  sun  was  going  down  he  came  to  the 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Hermes." 


86  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

Pierian  hills,  where  the  cattle  of  Phoebus  were 
feeding,  and  made  ready  to  drive  them  back  to 
Kyllene.  Fearing  that  the  tracks  of  the  beasts 
on  the  sand  might  betray  his  theft,  he  drove 
them  round  about  by  crooked  paths,  so  as  to 
make  it  appear  that  they  were  going  to  the 
place  from  which  they  had  been  stolen,  and  his 
own  feet  he  covered  with  tamarisk  and  myrtle 
leaves.  As  he  passed,  he  saw  an  old  man  at 
work  in  a  vineyard  near  Onchestos,  and  whis- 
pered into  his  ear  a  warning  that  he  should  take 
care  not  to  remember  too  much  of  what  he  had 
seen.  When  the  next  morning  dawned  he  had 
reached  the  stream  of  Alpheius,  and  there  gath- 
ering logs  of  wood,  he  rubbed  the  pieces  to- 
gether till  they  burst  into  a  flame.  This  was 
the  first  flame  kindled  on  the  earth,  and  so 
Hermes  is  called  the  giver  of  fire  to  mortal 
men. 

223.  How  does  the  tale  go  on  ? 

Hermes  took  two  of  the  herd,  and  cut  up 
their  flesh  into  twelve  portions,  but  he  ate  not 
the  roasted  meat,  although  he  was  sorely 
pressed  by  hunger.  Then  quenching  the  fire, 
he  trampled  down  the  ashes  with  all  his  might, 
and  hastening  on  to  Kyllene,  darted  into  the 
cave  through  the  keyhole  of  the  door  as  softly 


HEKMES.  87 

as  a  summer  breeze,  and  there  lay  like  a  babe, 
playing  among  the  cradle-clothes  with  one  hand, 
while  his  right  hand  held  the  tortoise  lyre  hid- 
den beneath  them. 

224.  Was  the  theft  discovered  ? 

When  the  morning  dawned,  Phoebus,  coming 
to  Onchestos,  saw  that  his  herds  had  been 
stolen.  Meeting  the  old  man  at  work  in  the 
vineyard,  he  asked  if  he  knew  who  had  taken 
them  ;  but  the  man  remembered  the  warning 
of  Hermes,  and  could  remember  only  that  he 
had  seen  cattle  moving,  and  a  babe  walking 
near  them. 

225.  What  did  Phoebus  do  on  hearing  this  ? 

"Wrapped  in  a  purple  mist,  he  went  to  beau- 
tiful Pylos,  and  there  came  on  the  confused 
cattle-tracks,  which  he  followed  to  the  cave  of 
Maia.  Entering  it,  he  found  the  babe  Hermes 
asleep,  and  roughly  waking  him,  demanded  his 
cattle.  The  child  pleaded  his  infancy.  A  babe 
of  a  day  old  cannot  steal  cattle,  or  even  know 
what  sort  of  things  cows  are.  As  Hermes  gave 
this  answer,  his  eyes  winked  slily,  and  he  made 
a  long,  soft,  whistling  sound,  as  if  the  words  of 
Phoebus  had  mightily  amused  him. 

226.  Did  Phoebus  take  this  excuse  ? 


88  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

No.  He  caught  up  the  child  in  his  arms  ; 
but  Hermes  made  so  loud  a  noise  that  he 
quickly  let  him  fall.  Phoebus,  taking  this  as  a 
sign  that  he  should  find  his  cows,  told  Hermes 
to  lead  the  way.  Then  Hermes,  starting  up  in 
fear,  pulled  the  cradle-clothes  over  his  ears,  and 
reproached  Apollo  for  his  cruelty.  "  I  know 
nothing  of  cows,"  he  said,  "  but  their  name. 
Zeus  must  decide  the  quarrel  between  us." 

227.  What  was  the  judgment  of  Zeus  ? 

When  he  had  heard  the  complaint  of  Apollo, 
and  listened  to  Hermes,  who,  winking  his  eyes 
and  holding  the  clothes  to  his  shoulders,  pro- 
tested that  he  knew  not  how  to  tell  a  lie,  and 
that  he  could  but  play  like  other  babes  in  his 
cradle,  Zeus  laughed,  and  bade  Phoebus  and 
the  child  be  friends.  Zeus  then  bowed  his 
head.  At  that  sign  Hermes  dared  not  disobey, 
and,  hastening  to  the  banks  of  Alpheius,  he 
brought  out  the  cattle  from  the  folds  where  he 
had  penned  them. 

228.  Was  the  quarrel  here  ended  ? 

No.  Just  at  this  moment  Phoebus  saw  the 
spot  where  the  fire  had  been  kindled  and  the 
hides  and  bones  of  the  slaughtered  cattle,  and 
wondering  how  a  baby  could  flay  whole  cows, 
he  seized  him  again  and  bound  him  with  wil- 


HERMES.  89 

low  bands,  wliicli  the  child  tore  from  his  body 
like  flax.  Hermes,  in  his  terror,  thought  upon 
his  tortoise  lyre,  and  called  forth  from  it  music 
so  soft  and  soothing  that  Apollo,  forgetting  his 
anger,  besought  Hermes  to  teach  him  his  won- 
derful art. 

229.  Did  Hermes  agree  t*  this  ? 

Yes.  Hermes  too  envied  the  wisdom  and 
hidden  knowledge  of  Apollo,  for  Phoebus  can 
see  all  things,  even  to  the  lowest  depths  of  the 
green  sea  ;  and  in  return  for  this  wisdom  he 
promised  to  give  him  the  lyre,  which  can  dis- 
course sweetly  of  all  things,  and  drive  away  all 
care  and  sorrow.  "  Take  it,"  he  said,  "  for  you 
know  how  to  use  it ;  but  to  those  who  touch  it, 
not  knowing  how  to  draw  forth  its  speech,  it  will 
babble  strange  nonsense,  and  rave  with  uncer- 
tain meanings." 

230.  Was  this  exchange  made  ? 

Only  in  part.  It  was  not  in  the  power  of 
Phoebus  to  reveal  the  hidden  secrets  of  years, 
but  all  that  he  could  give  to  Hermes  he  gave. 
In  his  hands  he  placed  a  glittering  scourge,  and 
giving  him  charge  over  all  his  flocks  and  herds, 
bade  him  visit  in  their  hidden  dells  and  caves 
the  hoary-headed  Thriae,  which  should  teach 


90  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

him  secrets  hidden  from  all  mortal  men.  In 
return  for  this,  Hermes  promised  never  to  hurt 
the  temple  of  Phoebus  at  Delphi. 

231.  Is  it  possible  to  explain  this  strange  story  ? 

On  comparing  it  with  the  old  Hindu  or  Vedic 
tales,  we  find  that  the  name  Hermes  belongs  to 
the  same  root  with  that  of  Sarama  ;  and  that 
Sarama  is  the  dawn,  as  it  creeps  through  the 
sky,  peering  about  after  the  bright  cows  (the 
clouds)  which  have  been  stolen  by  the  night, 
and  hidden  in  its  secret  caves. 

232.  Is  this  name  SaramS  found  in  any  other  forms  ? 

Yes.  It  is  proved  to  be  the  same  name  as 
Helen,  whom  Paris  stole  from  Sparta.  It  comes 
from  a  root,  sar,  which  mean&  to  creep,  and  it 
reappears  in  the  names  Erinys  (the  Vedic  Sa- 
ranyu)  and  Sarpedon,  the  son  of  Zeus,  as  well 
as  in  our  word  serpent,  a  creeping  thing. 

233.  But  how  does  the  idea  of  Sarama;,  or  the  Dawn,  lead 
to  that  of  the  Greek  Hermes  ? 

In  the  hymns,  Sarama,  when  seeking  after  the 
cows,  is  said  to  go  across  the  heavens  with  a 
soft  breeze.  She  thus  represents  'the  morning, 
with  the  soft  breath  of  summer  winds  whisper- 
ing round  her  as  she  moves  onward.  In  the 
minds  of  the  Greeks,  this  idea  of  the  breeze 


HERMES.  91 

gradually  shut  out  the  idea  of  the  morning,  and 
so  Hermes  came  to  represent  the  wind,  or  air  in 
motion. 

234.  Does  this  explain  the  story  of  Hermes  ? 

Yes ;  even  to  its  most  minute  features.  The 
wind  which  whispers  softly  at  its  first  rising, 
may  freshen  to  a  gale  before  it  is  an  hour  old, 
and  sweep  before  it  the  clouds  big  with  the  rain 
that  is  to  refresh  the  earth.  Ifc  pries  unseen 
into  holes  and  crannies,  it  sweeps  round  dark 
corners,  it  plunges  into  glens  and  caves  ;  and 
when  people  come  out  to  see  what  mischief  it 
has  done,  they  hear  its  mocking  laughter  as  it 
hastens  on  its  way. 

235.  Whence  conies  the  wit  and  humor  of  the  tale  ? 

In  one  sense,  it  was  ready-made  to  the  hands 
of  the  old  Greek  poets ;  but  this  may  be  said 
of  every  thing  that  has  ever  been  done  by  man. 
We  do  but  find  out  the  things  that  exist ;  but 
only  they  who  search  patiently  and  truthfully 
can  find  them  out ;  and  the  wit  of  the  tale  of 
Hermes  sprang  from  this  careful  noting  down 
of  the  varying  action  of  the  wind. 

236.  Is  any  one  else  said  to  have  been  the  first  to  give  fire 
to  men  ? 

Yes.  Prometheus  and  Phoroneus.  But  Pho- 
roneus,  the  Indian  Bhnranyu,  is  only  another 


92  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

name  for  fire  ;  and  the  story  of  Prometheus  re- 
lates to  fire  brought  down  from  heaven,  while 
the  fire  kindled  by  Hermes  is  the  fire  produced 
in  forests  by  the  rubbing  of  branches  in  a  high 
wind. 

237.  Why  does  not  Hermes  eat  of  the  meat  roasted  by  the 
fire  which  he  has  kindled  ? 

Because,  though  the  wind  may  cause  the 
flame,  it  cannot  itself  consume  that  which  the 
fire  devours. 

238.  What  is  the  return  of  Hermes  to  the  cave  in  which 
he  was  born  ? 

The  dying  down  of  the  storm,  until  at  last  it 
is  lulled  to  sleep. 

239.  To  what  does  the  defence  of  Hermes  point  ? 

To  the  seeming  helplessness  of  the  soft 
breeze,  which,  as  we  might  fancy,  could  never 
grow  into  a  hurricane. 

240.  How  are  we  to  explain  the  noise  made  by  Hermes 
when  Apollo  seizes  him  in  his  arms  ? 

It  is  a  momentary  blast  of  wind,  which  dies 
away  as  suddenly  as  it  came. 
'   241.  What  is  the  music  of  Hermes  ? 

The  melody  of  the  winds,  which  can  awake 
feelings  of  joy  and  sorrow,  of  regret  and  yearn- 
ing, of  fear  and  hope,  of  vehement  gladness  or 
utter  despair. 


HERMES.  93 

242.  Why  does  Phoebus  refuse  to  impart  his  wisdom  to 
Hermes  ? 

Because  the  rays  of  the  sun  can  go  down 
far  beneath  the  surface  of  the  sea,  and  shoot 
out  through  the  vast  expanse  of  heaven,  where 
the  breath  of  the  wind  can  never  be  felt. 

243.  What  powers  does  Phoebus  give  him  in  return  for 
his  lyre  ? 

He  is  made  the  guardian  of  the  steeds  of  the 
Sun,  and  receives  a  scourge  with  which  to  drive 
them.  In  other  words,  the  bright  clouds  must 
move  across  the  sky  when  the  wind  drives 
them.  He  is  also  told  that  his  music  shall 
cheer  and  soothe  the  children  of  men,  and  that 
his  breath  shall  waft  the  spirits  of  the  dead  to 
their  unseen  home. 

244.  What  is  the  title  of  Hermes  as  the  guide  of  the  dead 
to  the  land  of  Hades  ? 

He  is  the  Psychopompos,  the  leader  of  souls. 

245.  Has  he  any  other  office  ? 

He  is  the  messenger  of  the  gods,  and  espe- 
cially of  Zeus. 

246.  Why  is  Hermes  bidden  to  go  to  the  Thriae  for  wis- 
dom? 

Because  we  may  speak  of  the  wind,  when  it 
pierces  into  caves  and  glens  and  all  secret 
places,  as  seeking  to  discover  the  hidden  treas- 


94  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

ures  of  tlie  earth,  and  to  gain  a  knowledge  to 
which  man  can  never  attain. 

247.  Is  Herines,  then,  always  the  friend  of  man  ? 

No.  The  poet  ends  the  Homeric  hymn  by 
saying  that  his  kindness  to  men  is  not  equal  to 
his  love  for  the  Sun,  and  that  he  has  a  way  of 
doing  them  mischief  while  they  sleep. 

248.  How  is  this  to  be  explained  ? 

Of  sudden  storms  which  may  rise  during  the 
night ;  and  as  the  mischief  so  done  is  wrought 
against  their  will,  Hermes  is  called  a  thief  and 
the  prince  of  thieves,  and  Apollo  foresees  that 
he  will  break  into  many  a  house  and  set  many  a 
herdsman  grieving  for  his  cattle,  to  the  end  of 
time. 

249.  How  is  Hermes  commonly  represented  ? 

With  a  staff  in  his  hand,  as  the  messenger  of 
the  gods  and  the  guide  of  the  dead,  and  with 
golden  sandals  which  bear  him  as  swiftly  as  a 
bird  through  the  heavens.  These  sandals  were 
placed  on  the  feet  of  Perseus  before  he  set  out 
on  his  journey  to  slay  the  Gorgon  Medusa, 


DIONYSUS. 

250.  Who  was  Dionysus  ? 

The  god  of  the  vine  and  its  fruits. 

251.  Whose  son  was  he  said  to  be  ? 

There  is  an  almost  endless  number  of  versions 
for  every  incident  in  the  history  of  this  god. 
Some  call  him  a  son  of  Zeus  or  Demeter,  or  lo, 
or  Dione.  Others  make  him  a  son  of  Ammon 
and  Amaltheia,  the  nurse  of  Zeus  in  the  cave  of 
Dicte.  But  the  most  popular  version  was  that 
which  made  him  a  son  of  of  Zeus  and  Semele, 
the  daughter  of  Cadmus,  king  of  Thebes. 

252.  Is  there  more  than  one  story  about  his  birth  ? 


96  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

Yes.  One  tale  relates  that  Cadmus,  on  learn- 
ing that  his  daughter  had  become  the  mother 
of  Dionysus,  put  her  and  her  child  in  a  chest, 
which  the  sea  cast  up  on  the  shores  of  Brasiae ; 
Semele  was  taken  up  dead,  but  the  babe  was 
rescued  and  nourished  by  Ino.  This  incident 
is  repeated  in  the  story  of  Perseus  and  Danae. 

253.  What  other  account  is  given  of  his  birth  ? 

It  is  said  that  Hera,  being  jealous  of  Semele, 
tempted  her  to  her  ruin.  Semele,  thus  urged, 
asked  Zeus  to  visit  her  in  his  Olympian  splen- 
dor, and  was  scorched  by  the  lightnings  as  he 
approached.  In  the  midst  of  the  blazing  thun- 
derbolts Dionysus  was  born,  and  Semele  de- 
parted for  a  long  sojourn  in  the  land  of  Hades.1 

254.  Where  was  Dionysus  brought  up  ? 

Some  say  in  Naxos  ;  others  on  Mount  Nysa  ; 
but  there  were  several  mountains  of  this  name, 
as  there  was  more  than  one  Ortygia  and  river 
Triton,  where  Phoebus  and  Athena  were  said  to 
have  been  born. 

255.  What  was  the  career  of  Dionysus  ? 

Like  Heracles,  Perseus,  Theseus,  and  all  other 
heroes,  he  had  to  pass  through  a  time  of  griev- 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Semele." 


DIONYSUS.  97 

cms  toil  and  danger  before  lie  attained  to  fame 
and  glory. 

256.  How  were  these  hard  tasks  brought  to  an  end  ? 

Dionysus,  it  is  said,  resolved  to  leave  Orclio- 
menos,  where  he  had  spent  his  youth,  and  hav- 
ing journeyed  to  the  sea,  he  stood  on  a  jutting 
rock,  where  his  dark  locks  streamed  over  his 
shoulders  and  his  purple  robe  rustled  in  the 
breeze.  The  splendor  of  his  form  caught  the 
ey.es  of  some  Tyrrhenians  who  were  sailing  by. 
Leaving  their  vessel,  they  came  to  the  rock, 
and  seizing  Dionysus,  bound  him  with  strong 
withy  bands,  which  fell  from  him  like  leaves 
from  a  tree  in  autumn.  In  vain  the  helmsman 
warned  them  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  one 
who  belonged  to  the  race  of  the  undying  gods  ; 
but  as  they  sailed  away  with  Dionysus,  sud- 
denly there  ran  over  the  deck  a  stream  of  purple 
wine,  and  a  fragrance  as  of  a  heavenly  banquet 
filled  the  air.  Over  the  masts  and  sailyards  a 
vine  clambered ;  round  the  tackling  tangled 
masses  of  ivy  were  mingled  with  bunches  of 
glistening  grapes,  and  bright  garlands  shone 
like  jewels  on  every  oarpin.1 

257.  What  followed  these  wonders  ? 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Dionysos." 

7 


98  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

The  sailors,  smitten  with  fear,  crowded  round 
the  helmsman,  when  suddenly  a  loud  roar  was 
heard,  and  a  tawny  lion  and  a  grisly  bear  stood 
fronting  them.  The  men  leaped  over  the  ship's 
side,  and  were  changed  into  dolphins;  and 
Dionysus,  once  more  taking  his  human  form, 
rewarded  the  helmsman  for  his  kindness,  and 
brought  a  north  wind  which  carried  the  ship  to 
the  land  of  Egypt,  where  Proteus  was  king. 

258.  Did  Dionysus  remain  long  in  Egypt  ? 

No.  He  journeyed  now  through  many  lands ; 
through  Ethiopia  and  India,  and  other  coun- 
tries, followed  everywhere  by  crowds  of  women, 
who  worshipped  him  with  wild  cries  and  songs. 
At  last  he  returned  to  Thebes,  where  Cadmus 
had  made  his  son  Pentheus  king. 

259.  How  was  Dionysus  received  by  Pentheus  ? 
With   great   suspicion,   on    account    of    the 

strange  rites  which  he  taught  to  the  women, 
and  the  frenzy  with  which  he  inspired  them. 

260.  Did  Pentheus  succeed  in  curing  their  madness  ? 
No.     Climbing  into  a  tree  to  see  their  orgies, 

he  was  discovered  by  the  women,  who  tore  him 
to  pieces,  his  own  mother,  Agave,  being  the  first 
to  lay  hands  on  him.1 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Pentheus." 


DIONYSUS.  99 

261.  What  other  acts  are  recorded  of  Dionysus  ? 
He  is  said  to  have  brought  back  Semele  from 
Hades,  and  to  have  led  her  to  Olympus,  where 
she  was  known  under  the  name  Thy  one. 


HERACLES. 

262.  Who  was  Heracles  ? 

A  son  of  Zeus  and  Alcmene. 

263.  How  may  his  life  be  generally  described  ? 

As  a  long  servitude  to  a  master  meaner  and 
weaker  than  himself,  and  as  one  continued  sac- 
rifice of  himself  for  the  good  of  others. 

264.  What  is  his  chief  characteristic? 

An  irresistible  bodily  strength,  which  is 
always  used  to  help  the  weak  and  suffering 
and  for  the  destruction  of  all  noxious  things. 

265.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  name  ? 

Like  that  of  Hera,  it  signifies  a  solar  deity. 


HERACLES; 

266.  How  came  it  to  pass  that  Heracles  should  be  the 
servant  of  an  unworthy  master  ? 

Zeus,  it  is  said,  boasted  to  Hera  on  the  day 
on  which  Heracles  was  born  that  the  child  then 
to  be  born  of  the  family  of  Perseus  should  be 
the  mightiest  of  men.  Hera,  learning  this, 
caused  Eurystheus  to  be  born  before  Heracles. 

267.  What  was  the  origin  of  this  tale  ? 

It  sprung  from  old  phrases  which  had  spoken 
of  the  sun  as  toiling  for  so  poor  and  weak  a 
creature  as  man. 

268.  Is  the  life  of  Heracles,  then,  only  a  summary  of  the 
daily  or  yearly  course  of  the  sun  ? 

Yes.  Every  feature  of  the  many  legends 
connected  with  his  name  may  be  traced  back  to 
phrases  which  spoke  of  the  sun  as  born  to  a 
life  of  toil,  as  entering  on  his  weary  tasks  after 
a  brief  but  happy  infancy,  and  as  sinking  finally 
to  his  rest  after  a  fierce  battle  with  the  clouds 
which  had  hindered  his  journey. 

269.  When  did  the  labors  of  Heracles  begin  ? 

They  may  be  said  to  have  begun  in  his 
cradle.  The  toils  known  as  the  twelve  labors 
of  Heracles  are  assigned  to  later  periods  of  life. 
But  this  number  was  fixed  upon  by  the  poets 
of  a  comparatively  late  age,  who  collected  many 
local  traditions,  some  based  on  facts,  some 


162  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

purely  fictitious,  and  ascribed  them  all  to  He- 
racles. The  Homeric  poets  make  no  attempt 
to  classify  his  toils  or  his  exploits.  ^ 

270.  What  is  recorded  of  the  infancy  of  Heracles  ? 

It  is  said  that  as  he  lay  sleeping  in  his  cradle 
two  snakes  coiled  themselves  around  him,  and 
that  the  child  on  waking  placed  his  hands 
round  their,  necks,  and  gradually  tightened  his 
grasp  until  they  fell  dead  upon  the  ground.1 

271.  What  are  these  serpents  ? 

They  are  the  serpents  of  the  night,  or  of 
darkness,  on  which  the  sun  may  be  said  to  lay 
his  hands  when  he  rises,  and  which  he  slays  as 
he  climbs  higher  into  the  heavens. 

272.  In  what  country  was  Heracles  born  ? 
In  Argos. 

273.  Why  was  he  born  there  ? 

Because  Argos  is  a  word  signifying  brightness. 
Argos,  therefore,  is  the  same  as  Delos  and  Or- 
tygia,  the  birthplace  of  Phoebus  and  his  sister 
Artemis. 

274.  By  whom  was  Heracles  taught  ? 
By  the  wise  centaur  Cheiron. 

275.  Who  were  the  Centaurs  ? 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  The  toils  of  Heracles." 


HERACLES.  103 

Beings  with  the  head  of  a  man  joined  to  the 
body  of  a  horse. 

276.  Whence  came  this  notion  ? 

Apparently  from  the  Indian  phrases  which 
spoke  of  the  Gandharvas,  or  bright  clouds,  as 
riding  along  the  sky. 

277.  How  was  the  legend  of  Heracles  treated  by  the 
sophist  Prodicus  ? 

As  illustrating  the  victory  of  righteousness 
over  iniquity. 

278.  How  does  he  show  this  ? 

He  represents  Heracles  as  accosted  by  two 
maidens,  one  clad  in  a  seemly  robe  of  pure 
white,  the  other  scantily  clothed  and  with  a 
flushed  face  and  restless  eyes.  The  latter,  who 
is  called  Kakia,  or  Vice,  tempts  him  with  the 
offer  of  ease  and  pleasures  ;  the  other  (Arete,  or 
Virtue)  bids  him  toil  manfully  for  a  future  and 
perhaps  distant  recompense.  Heracles  follows 
the  counsel  of  Arete,  and  begins  his  toils  with 
a  brave  heart. 

279.  What  maiden  is  said  to  have  won  the  youthful  love 
of  Heracles  ? 

lole,  the  daughter  of  Eurytus,  king  of  GEcha- 
lia  ;  but  from  her  he  was  soon  parted. 

280.  Why?> 

Because  all  the  heroes  who  represent  the  sun 


104  MANUAL  OF   MYTHOLOGY. 

are  always  parted  from  their  first  love,  just  as 
tlie  sun  leaves  the  beautiful  clawn  behind  him 
as  he  rises  higher  into  the  heaven. 


281.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  name 

It  signifies  the  violet  color,  and  points  to  the 
violet-colored  clouds  which  are  seen  only  at 
sunrise  or  sunset. 

282.  Does  this  name  appear  in  other  legends? 

Yes.  In  the  forms  of  larnos,  lolaos,  and 
locaste. 

283.  Mention  some  of  the  chief  exploits  of  Heracles. 

He  is  said  to  have  smitten  the  hundred- 
headed  Hydra,  or  water-snake,  of  the  lake  of 
Lerna,  the  wild  boar  of  Erymanthus,  and  the 
Harpies  of  the  swamps  of  Stymphalus. 

284.  Do  these  exploits  resemble  those  of  other  heroes  ? 
Yes.     They  merely  reproduce  the  slaying  of 

Python  by  Phoebus,  of  Fafnir  by  Sigurd,  of  the 
Sphinx  by  (Edipus,  of  the  Libyan  dragon  by 
Perseus,  of  the  Minotaur  by  Theseus,  and  of 
Vritra  by  Indra. 

285.  What  other  deeds  are  recorded  of  him  ? 

The  gathering  of  the  golden  apples  from  the 
gardens  of  the  Hesperides  ;  in  other  words,  the 
golden-colored  clouds  which  are  grouped  round 
the  sun  as  he  sinks  in  the  western  sky. 


HERACLES.  105 

286.  Wliat  followed  tliese  great  exploits  ? 

He  married  Deianeira,  tlie  daughter  of 
(Eneus,  chief  of  Calydon. 

287.  In  what  relation  does  Deianeira  stand  to  Iol§  ? 

In  that  of  Helen  to  QEnone,  in  the  story  of 
Paris.  In  the  same  way  Sigurd  marries  Gudrun 
after  forsaking  Brynhild ;  and  Achilles,  Odys- 
seus, Theseus,  and  Kephalos  are  likewise  parted 
from  or  abandon  the  women  to  whom  they  had 
plighted  their  troth. 

288.  Did  Heracles  remain  with  Deianeira  during  the  rest 
of  his  life? 

No.  One  day  he  smote  Eunomus,  the  son  of 
(Eneus  with  his  unerring  spear,  and  then  he 
could  no  longer  be  restrained  from  pursuing  his 
westward  journey. 

289.  Is  the  slaying  of  Eunomus  like  any  incident  in  other 

tales  ? 

It  is  only  another  form  of  the  story  which  rep- 
resents Tantalus  as  slaying  his  own  son. 

290.  Did  Deianeira  leave  her  home  with  Heracles  ? 
Yes.     She  went  with  him  as  far  as  Trachis, 

having  received  on  the  way  from  the  centaur 
Nessus  (whom  Heracles  slew)  a  shell  filled  with 
his  blood. 

291.  What  was  the  object  of  this  gift? 

Nessus  said  that  by  spreading  it  on  a  robe 


106  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

for  Heracles  to  wear,  she  might  at  any  time  re- 
gain his  love  if  she  should  happen  to  lose  it. 

292.  Did  this  come  about  ? 

Deianeira  thought  so :  for,  as  she  abode  at 
Trachis,  she  heard  of  the  capture  of  CEchalia 
by  Heracles,  and  that  he  was  bringing  back 
with  him  the  lovely  maiden  lole.  She  there- 
fore sent  him  the  robe  annointed  with  the  blood 
of  Nessus. 

293.  Did  Heracles  put  it  on? 

Yes.  The  messenger  found  him  on  the  point 
of  offering  sacrifice ;  and  Heracles  put  on  the 
garment,  which  speedily  burnt  into  his  flesh, 
and  made  his  blood  rush  in  streams  over  the 
ground.  Heracles  bade  them  carry  him  to  the 
top  of  Mount  (Eta,  and  there  in  the  midst  of  a 
thunder-storm  he  died,  gazing  on  lole  who  stood 
weeping  by  his  side. 

294.  What  is  the  meaning  of  this  scene  ? 

It  is  the  last  incident  in  what  has  been  called 
the  Tragedy  of  Nature — the  battle  of  the  sun 
with  the  clouds,  which  gather  round  him  like 
mortal  enemies,  at  his  setting.  As  he  sinks,  the 
fiery  mists  embrace  him,  and  the  purple  vapors 
rush  across  the  sky,  like  the  streams  of  blood 
which  gush  from  the  hero's  body,  while  the 


HERACLES.  107 

violet-colored  evening  clouds  seem  to  cheer  him 
in  his  dying  agony. 

295.  What  are  the  weapons  of  Heracles  ? 

He  uses  sometimes  a  chib,  sometimes  a  spear, 
and  sometimes  poisoned  arrows. 

296.  Did  the  Greeks  ever  use  poisoned  arrows  ? 

There  is  no  evidence  whatever  of  their  ever 
having  done  so. 

297.  Do  any  other  mythical  heroes  use  such  weapons  ? 
Yes  ;  Philoctetes  and  Odysseus. 

298.  How  came  such  unmanly  modes  of  warfare  to  be  at- 
tributed by  the  Greeks  to  their  greatest  heroes  ? 

Because  the  word  ics,  a  spear,  is  the  same  in 
sound  as  the  word  ios,  poison.  Hence  the  two 
ideas  were  mingled  together,  and  it  was  said 
that  Helios,  Heracles,  and  other  heroes  fought 
with  poisoned  arrows  or  lances. 

299.  Were  the  wanderings  of  Heracles  confined  to  Greece  ? 

No.  He  journeys  over  the  whole  world,  but, 
like  the  sun,  moves  always  from  east  to  west. 

300.  Is  the  character  of  Heracles  simply  one  of  self-sacri- 
fice or  self-devotion  ? 

No.  If  the  sun  may  be  spoken  of  as  toiling 
for  others,  he  may  also  be  spoken  of  as  enjoying 
in  every  land  the  fruits  which  he  has  ripened. 
Hence  Heracles  became  a  person  fond  of  eating 


108  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

and  drinking ;  and  thus  when  in  the  house  of 
Admetus  he  learns  that  his  host  has  just  lost 
his  wife,  he  regards  this  as  no  reason  why  he 
should  lose  his  dinner.  The  same  burlesque 
spirit  marks  the  conflict  with  Thanatos  (or 
death),  in  which  Heracles  rescues  Alkestis  (Al- 
cestis)  from  his  grasp. 

301.  What  is  the  story  of  Heracles  and  Echidna? 
Wandering  in  Scythia,  he  is  said  to  have  met 

Echidna,  who  kept  him  in  her  cave  for  some 
time  before  she  would  let  him  depart. 

302.  Does  this  stoiy  resemble  any  other  ? 

It  has  no  features  peculiar  to  itself.  Heracles 
comes  to  her  abode  searching  for  his  cattle 
which  have  been  stolen,  just  as  Phoebus  searches 
for  the  cows  stolen  by  Hermes,  or  as  Indra  seeks 
for  the  cows  stolen  by  the  Panis.  The  gloomy 
land  in  which  the  Echidna  dwells,  is  simply  the 
dreary  country  of  the  Graiae  which  Perseus  en- 
ters in  his  search  for  Medusa.  The  detention 
of  Heracles  in  her  cave  denotes  simply  the 
time  which  passes  between  the  setting  of  the 
sun  and  his  rising.  When  he  leaves  Echidna, 
he  gives  her  weapons  which  she  is  to  yield  up 
only  to  him  who  is  able  to  use  them — an  inci- 
dent which  is  repeated  precisely  in  the  legends 
of  Theseus  and  Sigurd. 


HEKACLES.  109 

303.  Is  Heracles  a  hero  peculiar  to  Greek  mythology  ? 

No.  Under  the  same  or  other  names  we  find 
a  hero  of  this  kind  in  the  mythical  legends  of 
almost  every  country ;  but  in  all  we  have  pre- 
cisely the  same  kind  of  incidents,  pointing  to  the 
old  phrases  which  described  the  course  of  the 
sun  from  his  rising  to  his  setting. 


PERSEUS. 

804.  "Who  was  Perseus  ? 

The  great  hero  of  Argos,  and  the  mythical 
founder  of  the  dynasty  of  the  Perseidae,  or  chil- 
dren of  Perseus. 

805.  Did  Heracles  belong  to  the  family  of  Perseus? 

Yes;  his  mother  Alcmene  is  described  as  a 
granddaughter  of  Perseus. 

806.'  Why,  then,  has  the  story  of  Heracles  been  recounted 
before  that  of  Perseus  ? 

Because  Heracles  is  a  descendant  of  Perseus 
only  in  the  mythology  of  Argos.  Each  state  or 
city  had  its  own  store  of  traditions,  none  of 
which  agreed  on  all  points  with  those  of  other 
cities;  and  the  legends  of  Heracles  were  far 
more  widely  known  than  those  of  Perseus,  and 
furnished  the  groundwork  not  only  for  the  his- 
tory of  Perseus  but  for  that  of  many  other 
heroes. 

307.  Is  it  meant  by  this  that  the  story  of  Perseus  is  prac- 
tically a  repetition  of  that  of  Heracles  ? 

Yes. 

308.  "Were  the  people  of  Argos  aware  of  this  ? 

No.  Differences  in  the  names  of  the  places 
and  persons  mentioned  sufficiently  disguised  the 


PERSEUS.  Ill 

points  of  agreement  as  to  make  them  appear 
like  different  tales  to  those  who  were  never  led 
to  examine  them  minutely  and  critically. 

809.  Had  each  city  its  own  particular  hero  ? 

Almost  all  of  them  had  some  well-known  hero 
as  their  defender.  Thus  Theseus  at  Athens 
and  (Edipus  at  Thebes  answered  to  Perseus  at 
Argos. 

810.  How  were  the  stories  of  these  heroes  regarded  by 
the  men  of  Argos,  Thebes,  and  Athens  ? 

As  really  distinct  histories. 

311.  Are  they  so? 

No :  they  are  only  a  repetition  of  the  same 
story,  the  names  of  places  and  persons  being 
changed,  and  some  few  of  the  incidents  altered. 

312.  What  is  the  legend  of  the  birth  of  Perseus? 

It  is  said  that  Acrisios,  king  of  Argos,  was 
warned  by  the  Delphian  oracle  that  if  his  daugh- 
ter Danae  had  a  son,  he  would  be  slain  by  that 
child.  So  he  shut  her  up  in  a  dungeon,  but 
Zeus  entered  it  in  the  form  of  a  golden  shower, 
and  Danae  became  the  mother  of  Perseus.  Ac- 
risios then  placed  Danae  and  her  babe  in  a 
chest  which  the  waves  of  the  sea  carried  to  the 
island  of  Seriphos.  There  she  with  her  child 


112  MANUAL  OF   MYTHOLOGY. 

was  rescued  and  kindly  treated  by  Dictys,  the 
brother  of  Polydectes,  king  of  the  island.1 
313.  How  did  Perseus  grow  up  ? 

With  more  than  human  beauty  and  strength. 
His  gleaming  eyes  and  golden  hair  made  him, 
like  Phoebus,  the  lord  of  light. 

814.  What  was  the  destined  lot  of  Perseus  ? 

One  of  hard  toil  and  terrible  danger,  to  be 
followed  by  a  great  reward. 

315.  How  were  his  toils  caused  ? 

The  cruel  king  Polydectes  sought  to  win  the 
love  of  Danae,  and  as  Danae  shrank  from  him, 
Polydectes  shut  her  up  in  prison,  saying  that 
she  should  never  come  out  of  it  until  Perseus 
brought  back  the  head  of  the  Gordon  Medusa. 

316.  Who  was  Medusa? 

One  of  the  three  Gorgons,  the  daughters  of 
Phorcos  and  Keto.  Medusa  was  mortal,  but 
her  sisters  Stheino  and  Euruale  were  immortal. 

317.  What  is  the  stoiy  told  about  her  ?  . 
She  is  said  to  have  lived  with  her  sisters  in 

the  distant  west,  far  beyond  the  gardens  of  the 
Hesperides,  where  the  sun  never  shone,  and 
where  no  living  thing  was  to  be  seen.  Yearning 
for  human  love  and  sympathy,  she  visited  her 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "Danae," 


TERSEUS.  113 

kinsfolk  the  Graiao,  but  tliey  would  give  her  no 
help.  So  when  Athena  came  from  the  Libyan 
land,  Medusa  besought  her  aid;  but  Athena 
refused  it,  saying  that  men  would  shrink  from 
the  dark  countenance  of  the  Gorgon  ;  and  when 
Medusa  said  that  in  the  light  of  the  sun  her 
face  might  be  as  fair  as  that  of  Athena,  the  god- 
dess in  her  anger  told  her  that  henceforth  all 
mortal  things  which  might  look  upon  her  face 
should  be  turned  into  stone.  Thus  her  coun- 
tenance was  changed,  and  her  hair  was  turned 
into  snakes  which  coiled  and  twisted  themselves 
round  her  temples l 

318.  How  was  Perseus  enabled  to  find  the  home  of  Me- 
dusa, and  to  slay  her  ? 

The  gods  came  to  his  aid.  "When  Perseus 
slept  once  more  upon  Argive  soil,  Athena  stood 
before  him,  and  gave  him  a  mirror  in  which  he 
might  see  the  face  of  Medusa  reflected,  and 
thus  know  where  to  strike,  for  upon  Medusa 
herself  he  could  not  gaze  and  live.  "When  he 
awoke,  he  saw  the  mirror  by  his  side,  and  knew 
that  it  was  not  a  dream.  So  with  a  good  hope 
he  journeyed  westward,  and  on  the  following 
night  he  saw  in  his  sleep  Hermes,  the  messenger 
of  the  gods,  who  gave  him  the  sword  which 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Medusa.1' 


114  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

slay s  all  mortal  things  on  which  it  may  fall,  and 
who  bade  him  obtain  the  aid  of  the  Graiae  in 
his  further  search.  "When  he  woke  he  took  up 
the  sword,  and  went  to  the  land  of  the  Graise, 
where  Atlas  bears  up  the  pillars  of  the  high 
heaven.  There,  in  a  cave,  he  found  the  three 
sisters,  who  had  but  one  eye  between  them, 
which  they  passed  from  one  to  the  other.  This 
eye  Perseus  seized,  and  thus  compelled  the 
Graiae  to  guide  him  to  the  dwelling  of  Medusa. 
By  their  advice  he  went  to  the  banks  of  the 
ocean-stream  which  flows  round  all  the  earth, 
and  there  the  nymphs  gave  him  the  helmet  of 
Hades,  which  enables  the  wearer  to  move  un- 
seen, and  a  bag  into  which  he  was  to  put  Me- 
dusa's head,  and  the  golden  sandals  of  Hermes, 
which  should  bear  him  swifter  than  a  dream 
from  the  pursuit  of  the  Gorgon  sisters.  Thus 
armed,  Perseus  drew  nigh  to  the  dwelling  of  the 
Gorgons,  and  then,  while  the  three  sisters  slept, 
the  unerring  sword  fell,  and  the  woeful  life  of 
Medusa  was  ended.1 

319.  What  was  the  history  of  Perseus  after  the  death  of 
Medusa  ? 

When  the  immortal  Gorgons  awoke  and  saw 
their  sister  slain,  they  rushed  in  mad  pursuit 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Perseus." 


PERSEUS.  115 

after  Perseus;  but  with  tlie  cap  of  Hades  lie 
went  unseen,  and  the  golden  sandals  bore  him 
like  a  bird  through  the  air.  Onward  he  went 
until  he  heard  a  voice  asking  him  whether  he 
had  brought  with  him  the  head  of  Medusa.  It 
was  the  voice  of  the  old  man,  Atlas,  who  bore 
up  the  pillars  of  heaven  on  his  shoulders,  and 
who  longed  to  be  released  from  his  fearful  labor. 
On  his  entreaty,  Perseus  showed  him  the  Gor- 
gon's face,  and  his  rugged  limbs  soon  grew  stiff 
as  ridges  on  a  hill-side,  and  his  streaming  hair 
looked  like  the  snow  which  covers  a  mountain 
summit.  Thence  Perseus  rose  into  the  land  of 
the  Hyperboreans,  who  know  neither  day  nor 
night,  nor  storm,  nor  sickness,  nor  death,  but 
live  joyously  among  beautiful  gardens  where  the 
flowers  never  fade  away. 

320.  Did  Perseus  stay  long  in  this  happy  land  ? 

No  :  he  remembered  his  mother  Danae,  in  her 
prison-house  at  Seriphos,  and  once  more,  on  his 
winged  sandals,  he  flew  to  the  Libyan  shore, 
where  on  a  rock  he  saw  a  fair  maiden  chained, 
while  a  great  dragon  approached  to  devour  her. 
But  before  he  seized  his  prey,  the  unerring 
sword  smote  him,  and  taking  off  his  cap,  Per- 
seus stood  before  Andromeda ;  and  soon  after 


116  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

there  was  a  marriage-feast,  where  the  maiden 
sat  as  the  bride  of  Perseus.1 

321.  What  happened  at  this  feast  ? 

Phineus,  who  had  wished  to  marry  Andro- 
meda, reviled  Perseus,  who,  unveiling  the  Gor- 
gon's face,  turned  Phineus  and  all  his  followers 
into  stone. 

322.  Did  Perseus  remain  in  Libya  ? 

Kepheus,  the  father  of  Andromeda,  besought 
him  to  stay,  but  he  hastened  to  Seriphos,  where 
he  delivered  his  mother  Danae  from  her  prison, 
and,  with  the  Gorgon's  face,  turned  into  stone 
the  tyrant  Polydectes.  Thus  his  work  was 
done,  .and  Perseus  now  gave  back  to  Hermes 
the  helmet  of  Hades  and  the  sword  and  sandals, 
and  Athena  took  the  Gorgon's  head  and  placed 
it  upon  her  aegis. 

323.  Did  Perseus  then,  after  all,  fulfil  the  warning  given 
by  the  Delphian  oracle  to  King  Acrisios  ? 

Yes.  "When,  with  Danae,  he  returned  to  Ar- 
gos,  Acrisios  in  great  fear  fled  away  to  Larissa, 
where  he  was  received  by  the  chieftain  Teuta- 
midas.  Thither  also  came  Perseus,  to  take 
part  in  the  great  games  to  be  held  on  the  plain 
before  the  city.  In  these  games  Perseus  was 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Andromeda." 


PERSEUS.  117 

throughout  the  conqueror ;  but  while  he  was 

throwing  quoits,  one  turned  aside  and  killed 

Acrisios.1 

?    324.  How  was  the  life  of  Perseus  ended  ? 

Some  said  that  grief  at  the  death  he  had  un- 
wittingly caused  led  him  to  yield  up  to  his 
kinsman  Megapenthes  the  sovereignty  of  Ar- 
gos,  and  that  he  went  and  died  in  the  city  of 
Tiryns,  which  he  had  surrounded  with  huge 
walls. 

325.  What  stories  does  this  legend  chiefly  resemble  ? 

Those  of  Heracles,  Theseus,  Bellerophon, 
Kephalos,  and  (Edipus. 

326.  Is  the  warning  given  to  Acrisios  found  in  other 
tales? 

Yes ;  Laios  is  warned  at  Thebes  that  he 
should  be  slain  by  his  son  ;  Priam,  at  Troy,  is 
warned  that  his  child  will  bring  ruin  on  Ilion. 
The  same  warning  is  given  also  to  the  parents 
of  Telephus,  Cyrus,  Eoniulus,  and  many  others. 

327.  What  follows  the  warning  ? 

The  children  are  exposed,  some  on  a  hill- 
side, as  (Edipus,  Paris,  and  Telephus  ;  some  in 
chests  on  the  sea,  as  Dionysus  and  Perseus ; 
or  in  a  cradle  on  a  river's  bank,  as  Romulus. 

1  Talcs  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Acrisios." 


118  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

In  each  case  they  are  rescued,  and  their  growth 
to  manhood  is  generally  described  in  the  same 
way. 

828.  What  is  the  golden  shower  in  the  prison  of  Danae  ? 

The  light  of  morning,  which  streams  in  upon 
the  darkness  of  night. 

329.  What  is  the  subjection  of  Perseus  to  Polydectes  ? 

Another  form  of  the  subjection  of  Heracles 
to  Eurystheus,  of  Poseidon  to  Laomedon,  and 
of  Apollo  to  Admetus. 

330.  Who  is  Polydectes  ? 

The  same  as  Polydegmon,  or  Hades,  the  king 
of  the  dark  land,  who  greedily  seizes  all  that 
comes  within  his  grasp. 

331.  What  are  Medusa  and  her  sisters  ? 

Medusa  is  the  starlit  night,  solemn  in  its 
beauty,  and  doomed  to  die  when  the  sun  rises  ; 
her  sisters  represent  the  absolute  darkness 
which  it  was  supposed  that  the  sun  could  not 
penetrate. 

332.  What  is  the  journey  of  Perseus  to  the  land  of  the 
Graise  ? 

The  counterpart  of  the  journey  of  Heracles 
to  the  land  of  the  Hesperides. 

333.  What  are  the  Graise  ? 


PERSEUS.  119 

They  represent  the  twilight  or  gloaming  ;  the 
region  of  doubtful  shadows  and  dim  mists. 
334  What  is  the  Libyan  dragon  slain  by  Perseus  ? 

Another  form  of  Python,  Fafnir,  Yritra, 
Sphinx,  and  the  Chiniaera. 

335.  How  does  the  marriage  of  Andromeda  resemble 
those  of  other  mythical  heroines  ? 

It  follows  the  slaughter  of  a  monster,  like 
that  of  Ariadne,  Brynhild,  Deianeira,  Medeia, 
Jocasta,  and  others. 

336.  What  is  the  return  of  Danae  to  Argos  ? 

It  is  the  restoration  of  lole  to  Heracles,  of 
Briseis  to  Achilles,  of  Antigone  to  GEdipus,  and 
of  Brynhild  to  Sigurd. 

337.  What  is  the  sword  which  Perseus  bears  ? 

The  piercing  rays  of  the  sun,  which  is  in- 
vincible in  its  strength. 

338.  What  other  mythical  beings  have  these  irresistible 
weapons  ? 

All  those  heroes  whose  lives  in  other  respects 
resemble  those  of  Heracles  and  Phoebus.  Thus 
no  others  can  wield  the  spear  of  Achilles  or  the 
bow  of  Odysseus  ;  and  the  arrows  of  Heracles 
and  Philoctetes  are  winged  with  death. 

339.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  name  Perseus  ? 

It  means  the  destroyer.     Many  of  the  heroes 


120  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

have  names  from  the  monsters  which  they  slay, 
as  Bellerophontes,  the  slayer  of  Belleros,  and 
Argeiphontes,  the  slayer  of  Argos  Panoptes  (the 
all-seeing). 
340.  What  do  these  points  of  close  resemblance  show  us  ? 

That  Perseus,  Bellerophon,  Heracles,  The- 
seus, Achilles,  Apollo,  Odysseus,  Sigurd,  Kus- 
tem,  and  a  host  of  others,  are  only  different 
forms  of  one  and  the  same  person,  and  that  the 
idea  of  this  person  has  grown  out  of  phrases 
which  described  originally  the  course  of  the  sun 
in  its  daily  or  yearly  round. 


THESEUS. 

341.  Who  was  Theseus  ? 

The  great  hero  of  Athens,  corresponding  to 
Perseus  at  Argos  and  QEdipus  at  Thebes.  • 

342.  Who  are  his  parents  ? 

His  father  is  ^Egeus  and  his  mother  is  ^Ethra 
(the  pure  air). 

343.  Where  was  his  youth  passed  ? 

At  Troezen,  where  he  was  to  remain  until  he 
should  be  able  to  lift  a  great  stone,  under  which 
his  father  had  placed  his  sword  and  sandals.1 

344.  What  are  these  sandals  and  this  sword  ? 

The  sandals  are  the  same  as  those  of  Hermes  ; 
the  sword  is  that  of  Apollo  Chrysaor,  and  cor- 
responds to  the  arrows  of  Phoebus  and  Odys- 
seus, and  the  spear  of  Achilles. 

345.  Is  the  way  in  which  Theseus  has  to  win  them  re- 
peated in  any  other  stoiy  ? 

Yes  ;  in  the  story  of  Heracles  and  Echidna, 
and  in  the  tale  which  afterward  grew  up  into 
the  Lay  of  the  Nibelungs,  or  children  of  the 
mist  (the  Nibelungen  Lied).  Odin  driving  to 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Theseus." 


122  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

its  Lilt  in  an  oak  trunk  the  sword  Gram,  leaves 
it  for  the  man  who  should  be  able  to  draw  it 
out.  It  is  drawn  out  by  Sigmund,  and  when 
afterward  broken,  it  is  forged  afresh  for  Sigurd 
by  Eegin,  the  smith,  who  corresponds  to 
Hephaestus. 

346.  On  gaining  this  sword,  what  exploits  did  Theseus 
perform  ? 

Among  other  feats,  he  slays  the  giant  Peri- 
phetes,.  the  robber  Sinis,  the  sow  of  Crommyon, 
and  the  cruel  Procrustes,  who  tortured  his  vic- 
tims by  stretching  their  limbs  until  they  died. 

347.  Did  these  exploits  save  him  from  further  labors  ? 

No.  Like  Perseus  and  Heracles,  Theseus  is 
doomed  to  a  life  of  toil ;  and  from  Athens  he 
was  sent  with  the  ship  which  bore  the  tribute 
children  to  be  devoured  by  the  Minotauros. 

348.  What  was  the  Minotauros  ? 

A  monster  in  the  form  of  a  bull,  which  was 
said  to  be  born  from  Pasiphae,  the  wife  of 
Minos.  • 

349.  How  is  this  explained  ? 

? 

The  name  Pasiphae  denotes  "  one  who  gives 
light  to  all ;"  and  the  bull  in  the  oldest  Vedic 
hymns  is  constantly  mentioned  in  connection 
with  the  sun  and  the  chariot  of  Indra  and  Da- 


THESEUS.  123 

liana.  Europa  also  is  borne  across  the  sea  on 
a  spotless  white  bull.  The  distortion  of  the 
idea  was  caused  by  the  forgetting  that  Pasi- 
phae,  like  Telephassa  and  Argynnis,  was  only  a 
name  for  the  morning. 

350.  What  was  the  abode  of  the  Minotauros  ? 
The  labyrinth  of  Crete. 

351.  What  is  this  labyrinth? 

It  is  the  same  as  the  bridal  chamber  which 
was  wrought  by  Odysseus  for  Penelope.  It  re- 
appears also  in  the  maze  of  the  Hyperborean 
gardens,  which  the  sun  lays  out  for  his  bride, 
the  dawn. 

352.  How  did  Theseus  fare  on  his  errand  ? 

By  the  help  of  Ariadne,  the  daughter  of 
Minos,  he  slew  the  Minotaur  ;  just  as  with  the 
help  of  Medea,  Jason  slew  the  fire-breathing 
bulls  of  Colchis. 

353.  What  became  of  Ariadne? 

Theseus  took  her  as  far  as  Naxos,  and  there 
deserted  her  ;  but  Dionysus  came  and  made  her 
his  wife,  and  placed  her  abode  in  the  constella- 
tion which  is  called  Ariadne's  crown. 

354.  Was  Medea  also  deserted  like  Ariadne  ? 

Yes ;  Jason  forsook  her  to  marry  Glauke 
(the  bright  one),  the  daughter  of  King  Creon. 


124  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

But  tliis  desertion  is  simply  the  abandonment 
of  lole  by  Heracles,  of  (Enone  by  Paris,  and 
of  Brynliild  by  Sigurd  ;  and  it  means  only  that 
the  sun  may  not  tarry  with  the  dawn  in  the  east. 

855.  What  other  incidents  belong  to  the  life  of  Theseus  ? 
Like  QEdipus  and  Perseus,  he  is  said  to  have 

been  the  unwilling  cause  of  his  father's  death, 
by  neglecting  to  draw  down  the  black  sail  which 
was  spread  only  for  the  voyage  to  Crete.  He  is 
said  also  to  have  taken  part  in  the  Calydonian 
boar-hunt  and  in  the  voyage  of  the  Argonauts, 
and  to  have  brought  up  Persephone  from 
Hades. 

856.  How  was  Theseus  regarded  at  Athens  ? 

As  the  founder  of  the  state,  it  is  said  that  he 
brought  all  the  townships  (or  demi)  of  Attica 
into  one  community,  with  Athens  as  their  city. 
But  in  fact,  the  Athenians,  looking  on  him  as 
a  real  man,  gradually  made  out  his  life  to  have 
been  like  the  life  of  real  men,  by  leaving  out  of 
sight  the  marvellous  tales  which  were  told  about 
him.  Some  even  said  that  the  slayer  of  the 
Minotaur  was  not  the  same  as  the  founder  of 
the  Athenian  commonwealth  ;  but  they  had  no 
more  warrant  for  so  saying  than  others  had  for 
stripping  the  story  of  Theseus,  the  son  of 
JEthra,  of  all  its  wonderful  incidents. 


(EDIPUS. 

357.  Who  was  GEdipus  ? 

The  great  hero  of  Thebes,  in  Boeotia,  corre- 
sponding to  Perseus  at  Argos  and  to  Theseus 
at  Athens. 

358.  "What  is  the  story  of  his  birth  and  infancy  ? 

His  father  Laios  is  said  to  have  received  from 
the  oracle  at  Delphi  the  same  warning  which 
was  given  to  Acrisios.  (Edipus  was  therefore 
exposed  immediately  after  his  birth  on  the  side 
of  the  hill  of  Kithairon  (Cithaeron) ;  but  some 
said  that,  like  Dionysus  and  Perseus,  he  was 
placed  in  a  chest,  which  was  cast  into  the  sea. 
Like  them  he  was  rescued,  and  taken  to  Corinth, 
where  he  passed  as  the  son  of  Polybus  and 
Merope. 

359.  How  was  the  warning  of  the  oracle  fulfilled  ? 

Journeying  from  Corinth  to  Thebes,  (Edipus 
met  on  the  road  an  old  man  in  a  chariot,  and 
was  ordered  to  get  out  of  the  way.  On  his  re- 
fusal, the  old  man  struck  him,  and  was  instantly 
slain  by  (Edipus. 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece  (in  division  devoted  to  "  Tales  of  Thebes"). 
"  Laios." 


126  MANUAL   OF   MYTHOLOGY. 

360.  In  what  condition  did  (Edipus  find  the  Thebans  ? 
In  great  distress  from  drought  and  sickness 

caused  by  the  Sphinx,  who,  sitting  on  the  brow 
of  the  hill  over  the  city,  uttered  dark  riddles, 
and  who  could  not  be  overcome  except  by  one 
who  should  expound  them.1 

361.  How  did  (Edipus  save  the  city  ? 

He  solved  the  dark  sayings  of  the  Sphinx, 
who  threw  herself  with  a  wild  roar  from  the 
cliffs,  and  the  parched  soil  was  refreshed  with 
abundant  rain. 

362.  What  was  the  reward  of  (Edipus  ? 

It  had  been  proclaimed  that  whoever  should 
deliver  the  city  from  the  Sphinx  should  marry 
the  beautiful  locaste,  who  was  the  mother  of 
(Edipus. 

363.  Did  this  marriage  take  place  ? 

Yes ;  for  (Edipus  knew  not  wh.D  his  parents 
were  ;  but  the  Erinys,  who  takes  vengeance  for 
murder,  brought  a  plague  on  the  city  for  the 
death  of  Laios,  and  the  Delphian  oracle  charged 
them  to  get  rid  of  the  guilty  man.  When,  after 
long  search,  it  turned  out  that  (Edipus  had  slain 
him,  and  that  he  was  married  to  his  own  mother, 
he  tore  out  his  eyes,  that  he  might  not  see  the 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece  (in  division  devoted  to  "Tales  of  Thebes,") 
*'  CEdipiiB." 


CEDIPUS.  127 

misery  which  he  had  wrought,  and  locaste  died 
in  her  bridal  chamber. 
364.  Was  this  the  end  of  these  terrible  evils  ? 

No.  Ate,  who  visits  the  sins  of  fathers  on 
their  children,  had  not  yet  done  her  work. 
(Edipus  wandered  forth  from  Thebes,  a  wretched 
exile,  led  by  his  daughter  Antigone ;  and  his 
sons,  Eteocles  and  Polyneikes,1  quarrelled  for 
the  sovereignty  of  Thebes,  and  waged  a  civil 
war,  in  which  they  met  and  slew  each  other. 

365:  What  was  the  fate  of  (Edipus  ? 

Coming  at  length  to  the  grove  of  the  Eume- 
nides,  near  Athens,  he  received  from  Zeus  warn- 
ing that  his  death  was  near  at  hand  ;  and  send- 
ing for  Theseus,  he  told  him  that  Athens  should 
be  great  and  powerful,  so  long  as  none  knew 
where  (Edipus  lay  buried.2  So,  amid  the  flash- 
ing lightnings  and  the  pealing  of  the  thunder, 
(Edipus  rested  from  his  toil  and  trouble, 
cheered  to  the  last  hour  by  the  tender  love  of 
Antigone. 

366.  What  is  the  origin  of  this  story? 

It  grew  up  in  part  from  that  idea  of  toil  for 
the  benefit  of  others,  which  marks  the  stories  of 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece,  (in  division  devoted  to  "  Tales  of  Thebes,1') 

"  Poiyneikes," 

2  Ib  "  Antigone." 


128  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

Heracles,  Perseus,  Theseus,  Bellerophon,  and 
many  others,  and  partly  from  old  phrases  which 
had  spoken  of  the  sun  as  having  been  united  in 
the  evening  to  the  mother  from  whom  he  had 
sprung  in  the  morning. 

367.  Where  did  the  story  probably  end  at  first  £- 

With  the  marriage  of  (Edipus  to  locaste,  just 
as  in  the  Sanskrit  hymns  Indra  is  called  the 
husband  of  the  Dawn,  and  sometimes  her  son. 

368.  How  could  he  be  called  both  her  husband  and  her 
son? 

As  the  dawn  comes  before  the  sun  rises,  In- 
dra would  be  the  child  of  Dahana :  as  being 
seen  by  her  side,  he  might  be  called  her  hus- 
band. In  fact,  the  whole  nature  of  the  gods  in 
these  very  ancient  poems  is  still  transparent. 
"  There  are  no  genealogies,  or  settled  marriages 
between  the  gods  and  goddesses.  The  father 
is  sometimes  the  son,  the  brother  is  the  husband, 
and  she,  wrho  in  one  hymn  is  the  mother,  is  in 
another  the  wife." 

369.  How  is  it  that  the  latter  part  of  the  stoiy  of  (Edipus 
did  not  grow  up  in  India  ? 

Because  there  the  real  meaning  of  such  names 
as  (Edipus  and  locaste  was  not  forgotten.  But 
to  the  Greeks,  who  thought  that  (Edipus  and 
locaste  were  human  beings,  the  idea  of  marriage 


(EDirus.  129 

between  them  was  shocking,  and  the  horrors 
which  followed  wrere  very  naturally  invented. 

370.  But  CEdipus  is  described  as  hurried  on  by  a  power 
Which  he  cannot  resist.    How  is  this  ? 

The  sun  cannot  pause  in  his  journey — he  has 
no  free  action,  and  he  must  be  united  in  the 
evening  with  the  dawn  from  whom  he  had  been 
parted  in  the  morning.  This  notion,  when  ap- 
plied to  human  actions,  grew  up  into  the  idea  of 
Necessity,  called  by  the  Greeks  Ananke,  or  of 
Destiny,  which  they  called  Moira. 

371.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  word  Moira  ? 

It  means  literally  a  portion ;  and  in  Homer, 
Moira  is  the  being  wrho  assigns  to  men  their  lot 
in  life,  strictly  under  subjection  to  Zeus.  But 
in  later  poems,  she  becomes  mightier  than  Zeus 
and  all  the  gods ;  and  according  to  some  ver- 
sions there  were  three  sisters,  called  Mcerae,  or 
Fates,  namely,  Clotho,  she  who  spins  the  thread 
of  life,  Lachesis,  she  who  draws  it  out  as  she 
wills,  and  Atropos,  the  inexorable  being  who 
cuts  it. 

372.  The  deadly  quarrels  of  the  sons  of  OEdipus  are  traced 
to  the  working  of  Ate\    What  was  Ate"  ? 

The  word  means  "  Mischievous  Folly ;"  and 
in  the  Homeric  poems  Ate  is  nothing  more.  As 
such,  Zeus  hurls  her  out  of  heaven  for  causing 

9 


130  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

Eurystheus  to  be  born  before  Heracles.  But 
in  later  times,  Ate  became  a  fate  or  doom,  rest- 
ing on  a  house,  after  the  shedding  of  innocent 
blood. 

373.  Whatislocaste? 

Like  lole  and  lamos,  the  word  denotes  the 
violet  color,  and  meant  at  first  the  delicate  tints 
of  the  morning  clouds,  or  of  the  morning  itself. 

374.  WhatisLaios? 

Laios  represents  the  darkness  from  which  the 
sun  springs,  and  answers  to  Leto  the  mother  of 
Phoebus.  The  word  is  the  same  as  the  Indian 
Dasyu,  an  enemy,  a  name  frequently  applied  to 
Vritra,  the  enemy  of  Indra. 

375.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  word  (Edipus  ? 

Some  thought  that  it  was  taken  from  words 
which  meant  "  a  man  with  swollen  feet ;"  others 
fancied  that  it  meant  "  the  man  who  knew  the 
riddle  of  the  feet,"  because  the  Sphinx  is  said 
to  have  asked,  "  What  creature  goes  on  four  feet 
in  the  morning,  on  two  during  the  day,  and  on 
three  in  the  evening  ?" 

376.  Are  either  of  these  notions  correct  ? 

The  origin  of  this  name  is  not  known  with 
certainty.  It  may  come  from  the  verbs  which 
mean  to  swell  or  to  Jcnoiv ;  but  the  two  modes 


OEDIPUS.  131 

of  accounting  for  it  just  mentioned  are  fancies 
of  a  later  time. 

377.  What  is  meant  by  the  exposure  of  (Edipus  ? 

The  notion  sprung  from  a  phrase  which  had 
said  originally,  *  The  rays  of  the  sun  at  its  birth 
rest  level  on  the  earth,  or  on  the  hill-side.' 
Thus  Paris  is  exposed  on  Ida  ;  but  Ida  in  the 
old  Vedic  poems  is  a  name  of  the  earth,  who  is 
called  the  wife  of  Dyaus  or  the  sky.  Ida  and 
Dyaus  answer  therefore  to  the  Greek  Ouranos 
and  Gaia. 

378.  What  is  the  Sphinx  ? 

A  creature  who  imprisons  the  rain  in  the 
clouds,  and  so  causes  a  drought. 

379.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  word  ? 

It  means  one  who  binds  fast  (from  the  Greek 
word  sphingo) ;  the  Sphinx,  therefore,  answers 
exactly  to  Ahi,  or  Echidna,  the  throttling  ser- 
pent of  darkness. 

380.  But  was  not  the  idea  of  the  Sphinx  derived  from 
Egypt ;  and  must  not  Sphinx  therefore  be  an  Egyptian 
word  ? 

This  was  the  mistaken  notion  of  later  times 
The  Greeks  had  the  idea  and  the  name  of  the 
Sphinx  (who  was  also  called  Phix,  from  a  word 
connected  with  the  Latin  figo,  to  fix)  ages  before 
Egypt  was  thrown  open  to  Greek  merchants  or 


132  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

travellers.  The  Greek  Sphinx  has  the  head  of 
a  woman  with  the  body  of  a  beast,  the  claws  of 
a  lion,  the  wings  of  a  bird,  and  a  serpent's  tail, 
and  might  be  represented  in  any  attitude  ;  but 
when  Greeks  came  into  Egypt,  and  found  fig- 
ures with  a  woman's  head  joined  to  a  lion's 
body,  they  called  them  by  the  same  name,  and 
afterward  fancied  that  they  got  the  idea  itself 
from  the  Egyptians. 

881.  Whence  comes  the  notion  of  the  Sphinx's  riddle  ? 

It  was  suggested  by  the  mutterings  and  rum- 
blings of  the  thunder,  which  men  cannot  under- 
stand. 

382.  Why  should  (Edipus  understand  it  ? 

Because  he  has  that  wisdom  of  Phoebus  (the 
god  of  light)  which  Hermes  also  sought  to  ob- 
tain. 

383.  What  is  the  death  of  the  Sphinx  ? 

It  is  the  victory  of  Indra  who  smites  his  en- 
emy Vritra,  and  immediately  brings  rain  on  the 
thirsting  earth.  So  the  rain  pours  down  on 
Thebes  as  soon  as  the  Sphinx  hurls  herself  from 
the  cliff. 

384.  Under  what  form  does  the  Sphinx  appear  in  othoi 
stories  ? 

As  we  have   seen  already,  it  is  the  same  as 


(EDIPUS.  133 

the  Python  and  Fafnir :  and  it  reappears  also 
in  Typhon  and  Polyphemus. 

385.  Where  does  (Eclipus  die  ? 

In  the  sacred  grove  of  the  Eumenides. 

386.  Who  are  the  Eumenides  ? 

The  Eumenides  (a  word  which  means  literally 
'  the  gentle  beings,')  are  the  same  as  the  Eryn- 
yes  (Allecto,  the  implacable,  Megsera,  the  envious, 
and  Tisiphone,  the  avenger  of  blood),  commonly 
known  as  the  Furies.  The  name  Eumenides 
was  used  in  order  to  avert  their  wrath. 

387.  Does  the  word  Erinys,  then,  mean  a  Fury  ? 

No.  The  name  is  one  which  cannot  be  ex- 
plained in  Greek ;  but  it  is  the  same  word  as 
the  Indian  Saranyu,  which  is  the  name  for  the 
dawn. 

388.  How  came  the  lovely  Saranyu,  or  morning,  to  be 
changed  hi  to  the  gloomy  Erinys  of  the  Greek  ? 

So  long  as  the  meaning  of  the  name  was  re- 
membered, men  had  said  of  wicked  doers,  c  Sa- 
ranyu will  find  out  your  sin,"  meaning  that  the 
light  would  discover  their  wickedness.  Hence 
the  Erinys  was  first  the  being  who  brought  evil 
deeds  to  light,  and  was  represented  afterward 
in  gloomy  and  fearful  colors  as  their  avenger. 

389.  What  then  is  the  death  of  (Edipus? 


134:  MANUAL  OF   MYTHOLOGY. 

It  is  the  death  of  the  Sun  in  the  beautiful 
groves  of  the  dawn,  which  are  otherwise  called 
the  gardens  of  the  Hyperboreans,  and  which  rep- 
resent the  fairy  network  of  clouds  which  are 
the  first  to  receive  and  the  last  to  lose  the  light 
of  the  sun  in  the  morning  and  the  evening. 
Hence,  although  CEdipus  dies  in  a  thunder- 
storm, yet  the  Eumenides  are  kind  to  him,  and 
his  last  hour  is  one  of  deep  peace  and  tran- 
quillity. 

390.  Which  of  his  children  remained  to  the  last  with 
(Eclipus  ? 

Antigone,  whose  name  denotes  the  pale  light 
which  is  born,  or  springs  up,  opposite  to  the 
sun  at  his  setting. 

391.  What  became  of  Antigone  ? 

When  the  two  sons  of  QEdipus  slew  each 
other,  the  body  of  Polyneikes  was  cast  forth 
unburied,  and  in  defiance  of  the  commands  of 
Creon,  Antigone  buried  it.  Creon,  therefore, 
ordered  her  to  be  buried  alive  ;  and  when  Hse- 
mon  his  son  found  her  dead,  he  slew  himself 
over  her  body. 


PKOCRIS. 

392.  Who  wasProcris? 

A  daughter  of  Erechtheus  (a  inytliical  king 
of  Athens)  and  Herse. 

393.  How  is  Erechtheus  described  ? 

Erechtheus  or  Erichthonios  (for  the  names 
are  the  same)  is  called  a  son  of  Hephaestus  and 
Ge  (the  earth).  He  was  born  in  the  form  of  a 
serpent,  and  brought  up  by  Athena. 

394.  What  is  the  legend  of  Procris? 

Procris,  a  being  of  marvellous  beauty,  won 
the  love  of  Kephalos  (Gephalus)  who  found  her 
on  mount  Hymettus,  when  he  came  from  the 
white  shore  of  Euboea.  But  Eos  became  jeal- 
ous, when  she  saw  Procris  wedded  to  Kepha- 
los; and  she  tempted  Kephalos  to  doubt  her 
faith.  Kephalos  going  away,  returned  disguised 
(as  Sigurd  in  the  Volsung  tale  returns  to  Bryn- 
hild),  and  won  the  love  of  Procris  in  his  altered 
form.  Procris  discovering  the  trick,  fled  away 
to  Crete,  and  there  dwelt  in  deep  sorrow,  until 
at  length  she  was  visited  by  Artemis,  who  gave 
her  the  spear  which  never  missed  its  mark,  and 
the  dog  who  never  failed  to  track  his  prey.  So 


136  MANUAL  OF   MYTHOLOGY. 

with  the  hound  and  spear,  Procris  came  back 
to  Athens,  and  was  there  the  first  always  in  the 
chase.  Kephalos,  filled  with  envy  at  her  suc- 
cess, begged  for  the  spear  and  dog,  but  Procris 
refused  to  give  them  except  in  return  for  his 
love.  This  Kephalos  gave,  and  immediately 
discovered  that  it  was  his  first  wife  Procris  who 
stood  before  him.  Fearing  still  the  jealousy 
of  Eos,  Procris  kept  near  Kephalos  in  the  chase, 
until  his  spear  smote  her  while  she  lay  hidden 
in  a  thicket.  Bitterly  grieving  at  her  death, 
Kephalos  left  Athens,  and  aided  Amphitryon  in 
ridding  his  land  of  noxious  beasts  ;  then  jour- 
neying westward,  he  reached  the  Leucadian 
cape,  where  his  strength  failed  him,  and  he  fell 
into  the  sea.1 

395.  What  is  tlie  origin  of  this  story? 

It  sprung  from  three  simple  phrases,  one  of 
which  said,  "  The  sun  loves  the  dew ;"  while 
the  second  said  that  "the  morning  loves  the 
sun  ;"  and  the  third  added  that  "  the  sun  kills 
the  dew." 

396.  How  is  this  proved? 

Because  Procris  is  called  the  child  of  Herse, 
a  word  which,  even  in  Greek,  means  deiv,  and 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Kephalos  and  Procris." 


PROCIHS.  137 

because  the  name  Procris  itself  comes  from  a 
Sanskrit  word  meaning  to  sprinkle.  Eos,  again, 
is  the  goddess  of  the  east,  or  morning ;  and 
Kephalos  is  a  word  meaning  the  head  of  the 
sun. 

397.  How  did  this  suggest  the  details  of  the  story  ? 

As  the  sun  looks  on  the  dew  early  in  the 
morning,  so  Kephalos  wins  the  love  of  Procris 
in  early  youth,  while  the  love  of  the  dawn  for 
the  sun  is  changed  into  the  jealousy  of  Eos  for 
Procris.  But  each  dewdrop  reflects  the  sun, 
and  Procris  was  thus  said  to  grant  her  love  to 
a  Kephalos  who,  though  changed,  is  still  the 
same.  She  is  smitten  by  the  spear  of  Artemis, 
which  represents  the  rays  of  the  sun  as  it  gains 
strength  and  dries  up  the  dew.  Kephalos  causes 
her  death  against  his  will  while  she  lingers  in  a 
thicket  (a  place  where  the  dew  lingers  longest), 
just  as  Phcebus  loses  Daphne  and  Orpheus  is 
parted  from  Eurydike.  Having  slain  his  bride, 
Kephalos  must  journey  westward,  like  Heracles, 
Perseus,  and  other  heroes.  Like  them  he  toils 
for  others,  and  like  them  he  dies  in  the  far  west 
after  his  work  is  done. 


ORPHEUS. 

398.  Who  was  Orpheus  ? 

He  is  generally  called  a  son  of  the  river 
(Eagros  and  the  muse  Calliope. 

899.  What  is  the  common  story  of  Orpheus  ? 

He  is  said  to  have  won  the  love  of  the  beauti- 
ful Eurydike  (Eurydice),  who  died  soon  after 
from  the  bite  of  a  snake.  Orpheus,  wretched 
at  her  loss,  had  no  longer  the  heart  to  wake 
from  his  golden  lyre  the  music  which  made  men, 
beasts,  and  trees  follow  him  in  delight.  He  de- 
termined, therefore,  to  seek  Eurydike  in  the 
land  of  the  dead,  and  having  soothed  the  dog 
of  Hades  (Kerberos  or  Cerberus)  with  his  song, 
he  was  brought  before  Polydegmon  and  Per- 
sephone, who  suffered  him  to  lead  his  wife 
away,  on  condition  that  he  should  not  look 
on  her  face  till  she  had  reached  the  earth. 
Orpheus,  forgetting  his  promise,  looked  round 
too  soon,  and  Eurydike  was  torn  away  from 
him  almost  before  he  could  see  her.  The  grief 
of  Orpheus  again  silenced  his  music,  until  he 
died  on  the  banks  of  the  Hebrus.1 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Orpheus  and  Eurydike." 


ORPHEUS.  130 

400.  What  is  the  name  of  Orpheus  ? 

It  is  the  same  as  the  Indian  Bibhu,  a  name 
that  seems  at  a  very  early  period  to  have  been 
applied  to  the  sun.  In  the  Yeda  it  is  applied 
to  many  deities.  In  its  original  sense  it  seems 
to  have  denoted  creative  power  or  energy.  In 
the  opinion  of  some,  Orpheus  represents  the 
winds,  who  tear  up  the  trees  as  they  course 
along,  chanting  their  wild  music. 

401.  Is  there,  then,  a  mingling  of  two  notions  in  the  story  ? 

Yes ;  the  idea  of  the  morning,  with  its  short- 
lived beauty,  is  confused,  as  in  the  story  of 
Hermes,  with  the  idea  of  the  breeze  which  gen- 
erally accompanies  the  dawn. 

402.  Does  the  name  Eurydike  resemble  any  others  ? 

It  comes  from  the  same  word  from  which 
have  been  formed  such  names  as  Europa,  Eury- 
tos,  Euryphassa,  and  many  others,  all  denoting 
the  broad-spreading  flush  of  the  dawn  across 
the  sky. 

403.  What  is  the  snake  which  bites  Eurydike? 

The  serpent  of  darkness,  which  kills  the  beau- 
tiful twilight  in  the  evening. 

404.  What  is  the  pilgrimage  of  Orpheus? 

The  journey  which  during  the  hours  of  night 
the  sun  was  supposed  to  take  in  order  to  bring 


140  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

back  the  dawn  in  the  morning,  which  he  does 
only  to  destroy  her  with  his  dazzling  splendor. 
405.  What,  then,  is  the  final  departure  of  Eurydike  ? 

It  is  another  form  of  the  deaths  of  Daphne 
and  Procris. 


EUROPA. 

406.  Who  was  Europa? 

According  to  the  common  story,  a  daughter 
of  Agenor  and  Telephassa,  and  a  sister  of  Cad- 
mus and  Phoenix. 

407.  Where  was  she  born  ? 

In  Phoenicia,  whence  in  her  early  youth  she 
was  carried  away  by  Zeus,  in  the  form  of  a 
white  bull.1 

408.  Whither  did  the  bull  carry  her? 
To  Delphi. 

409.  What  is  the  sequel  of  the  story  ? 

Agenor  ordered  his  sons  to  go  in  search  of 
their  sister,  and  Telephassa,  going  with  them, 
journeyed  westward  until  they  came  to  Thessaly. 
There  Telephassa  grew  faint  and  died,  and  Cad- 
mus going  on  met  Phoebus,  who  told  him  that 
he  should  hear  tidings  of  his  sister  at  Delphi, 
and  that  after  he  had  found  her  he  should 
follow  a  cow,  who  would  lead  him  to  the  spot 
where  he  was  to  build  a  city.  Having  thus 
found  his  sister,  he  left  Delphi ;  and  as  they 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Cadmus  and  Europa.'1 


142  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

passed  along,  a  cow  rose  up  and  went  before 
them,  lying  down  to  rest  only  when  they  reached 
the  spot  where  Cadmus  built  the  city  called 
Thebes. 

410.  What  was  the  after-life  of  Cadmus  ? 

He  first  smote  the  dragon  near  the  well  of 
Ares,  and  then,  after  a  year  of  further  toil,  re- 
ceived Harmonia  as  his  wife  from  Zeus.  Cad- 
mus and  Harmonia  became  the  parents  of  Ino, 
Semele,  and  Agave,  and  were  finally  taken 
away  by  Zeus  into  Elysium,  or  the  paradise  of 
the  good. 

411.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  name  Europa  ? 

Like  Euryphassa,  Eurynome,  and  very  many 
others,  it  expresses  the  broad-spreading  light  of 
the  dawn,  which  is  carried  from  east  to  west  by 
Zeus  (Dyaus,  the  sky),  represented  in  the  oldest 
poems  under  the  form  of  a  bull. 

412.  Do  the  other  names  also  explain  themselves  ? 

Phoenicia,  where  she  is  born,  is  the  purple 
land  of  morning,  like  the  Delos,  Lycia,  and  Or- 
tygia  where  Phoebus  and  Artemis  spring  to 
life.  Her  brother  Phoenix  is  the  teacher  of 
the  great  hero,  Achilles,  the  lover  of  Briseis 
(Brisaya) ;  and  Telephassa  (she  who  shines 
from  far)  is,  like  Telephos  and  Telemachus,  a 


EUBOPA.  143 

name  of  the  dawn  light,  which,  shooting  across 
the  sky,  dies  out  in  the  west.  The  name  Cad- 
mus has  been  identified  with  the  Syrian  word 
Kedem,  the  east,  and  is  thus  a  name  for  the  sun 
god.  Like  Phoebus,  Theseus,  and  QSdipus,  he 
slays  monsters,  and  then,  like  them,  receives  a 
fair  bride  as  his  reward. 

413.  How  was  this  story  regarded  in  later  times  ? 

As  furnishing  evidence  that  Bceotia  was  col- 
onized from  the  Syrian  Phoenicia ;  but  of  this 
fact  the  proof  is  scarcely  adequate,  and  in  any 
case  it  cannot  be  derived  from  this  legend. 


MELEAGROS  (MELEAGER). 

414.  Who  was  Meleagros  ? 

A  son  of  QEneus,  chief  of  Calydon,  and  his 
wife  Althaea. 

415.  "What  is  the  story  of  his  infancy  ? 

It  is  said  that  as  the  child  lay  sleeping  in  his 
cradle,  the  Mcerse  stood  suddenly  before  his 
mother,  and  pointing  to  a  log  of  wood  burning 
on  the  hearth,  told  her  that  as  soon  as  the  brand 
had  burnt  itself  out,  Meleagros  wrould  die. 
Althaea,  on  hearing  this,  snatched  the  brand 
from  the  fire,  and  quenching  it  in  water,  hid  it 
away  in  a  secret  place.1 

416.  How  did  the  child  grow  up  ? 

Strong,  brave,  and  beautiful,  like  CEdipus, 
Perseus,  Bellerophon,  and  the  other  great  he- 
roes. Like  them,  he  achieved  great  exploits, 
and  especially  he  took  part  in  the  expedition  of 
the  Argonauts  to  recover  the  golden  fleece  from 
Colchis,  and  in  the  great  Calydonian  hunt. 

417.  Why  was  this  hunt  undertaken  ? 

To  destroy  a  monstrous  boar  which  Artemis 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Althaea  and  the  Burning  Brand." 


MELEAGROS.  145 

had  sent  to  punish  (Eneus,  who  had  neglected 
to  give  her  her  portion  of  a  sacrifice. 

418.  Who  else  took  part  in  this  boar  hunt? 

Many  of  the  heroes  who  shared  in  the  Ar- 
gonautic  expedition ;  but  the  foremost  of  all 
was  Atalante,  the  daughter  of  Schoeneus,  a  chief- 
tain of  Arcadia.  This  beautiful  maiden  first 
pierced  the  boar,  which  was  afterward  slain  by 
Meleagros. 

419.  How  were  the  spoils  divided  ? 

Meleagros  wished  to  have  the  head,  and  the 
Curetes  of  Pleuron,  who  had  aided  the  Calydo- 
nians  in  the  chase,  were  not  content  to  have  the 
hide  only.  Thus  a  strife  arose,  in  which  Me- 
leagros slew  the  chief  of  the  Curetes,  who  was 
also  a  brother  of  Althaea.  This  was  followed 
by  a  war  between  the  people  of  Pleuron  and 
Calydon,  in  which,  after  a  little  while,  Melea- 
gros refused  to  take  part,  because  Althaea,  in 
her  grief  for  the  loss  of  her  brother,  laid  her 
curse  upon  her  son. 

420.  What  was  the  consequence  of  his  inaction  ? 

The  men  of  Calydon  lost  ground  and  were 
utterly  dismayed,  until  his  wife  Cleopatra  in- 
duced him  to  go  forth.  As  soon  as  he  appeared 
the  enemies  were  routed.  But  the  men  of  Ca- 

10 


146  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

lydon  would  give  him  no  prize,  and  Meleagros 
again  withdrew  to  his  secret  chambers. 

421.  Did  lie  come  forth  again  to  help  his  countrymen  ? 

No  ;  Althaea,  made  yet  more  angry  by  his  sul- 
lenness,  brought  out  the  brand  and  flung  it  on 
the  fire.  As  the  wood  burnt  away,  the  strength 
of  Meleagros  decayed,  and  as  the  last  spark 
flickered  out,  he  died.  The  deaths  of  Althaea 
and  Cleopatra  followed  soon  after  that  of  the 
great  hero. 

422.  What  is  the  life  of  Meleagros? 

It  is  the  life  of  the  sun,  which  is  bound  up 
with  the  torch  of  day ;  when  this  torch  burns 
out  he  dies. 

423.  In  what  respect  does  this  story  resemble  any  others  ? 

Meleagros  is  a  counterpart  of  Perseus,  Phoe- 
bus, Kephalos  and  others  in  his  beauty  and 
strength  and  in  his  kindly  dealings;  in  the 
shortness  of  his  life,  and  his  fits  of  action  and 
inaction,  he  is  throughout  like  Achilles  and 
Paris. 

424.  What  is  this  inaction  ? 

It  is  the  veiling  of  the  sun  behind  the  clouds, 
from  which  he  comes  forth  either  to  win  the 
victory  like  Achilles  and  Odysseus,  or  to  die  like 
Meleagros  and  Heracles. 


MELEAGROS.  147 

425.  What  is  Atalanta  ? 

A  being  who  may  be  compared  to  Daphne 
and  to  Artemis,  with  whose  iinerring  spear  she 
is  armed. 

426.  Why  is  she  described  as  coming  from  Arcadia  ? 
Because,   like  Delos,   Lycia,   Phoenicia,  and 

other  names,  Arcadia  is  a  word  which  originally 
denoted  brightness  or  splendor. 

427.  Why  should  Althaea,  after  having  plucked  the  brand 
from  the  fire,  cast  it  in  again  ? 

Because  it  had  been  said  that,  as  the  sun  was 
the  child  of  the  night  (Leto,  Leda,  or  Althaea,) 
so  was  he  also  slain  by  the  darkness  when  his 
course  was  done. 


PHAETHON. 

428.  Who  was  Pliaetlion  ? 

A  son  of  Helios  and  Clyinene.1 

429.  What  is  Helios  ? 

This  word  lias  the  same  origin  as  the  Latin 
sol,  and  is  a  name  for  the  snn — Helios  standing 
to  Phoebus  in  the  relation  of  Nereus  to  Po- 
seidon. 

430.  How  is  Helios  represented  ? 

As  living  in  a  palace  of  gold,  daily  driving 
his  chariot  drawn  by  gleaming  horses  across  the 
heaven,  and  as  having  rich  herds  of  cattle. 

431.  What  are  these  cattle  ? 

They  are  the  bright  clouds  which  Hermes 
drives  across  the  sky ;  but  in  later  times,  when 
the  meaning  of  the  names  was  in  part  forgot- 
ten, they  were  supposed  to  be  cows  which  were 
fed  in  the  island  of  Thrinakia  ;  .but  even  here 
the  real  meaning  of  the  story  is  clear,  for  they 
are  driven  out  daily  to  their  pastures  by  Phae- 
thusa  and  Lampetie,  the  bright  and  glistening 
daughters  of  Neaira,  the  early  morning. 

432.  What  is  told  about  these  herds  in  the  Odyssey  ? 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Phaethon." 


PHAETHON.  149 

It  is  said  that  some  of  the  companions  of 
Odysseus  killed  and  ate  some  of  them,  and  that 
for  this  Helios  brought  about  their  death. 

433.  Does  the  reverence  with  which  the  Homeric  poet 
speaks  of  them  show  that  his  countrymen  were  addicted 
to  beast- worship  ? 

No.  It  shows  only  that  when  the  herds  of 
the  sun  were  placed  on  the  earth,  they  would 
naturally  be  regarded  as  things  on  which  no 
profaning  touch  should  be  laid. 

434.  What  are  the  horses  of  Helios  ? 

In  the  earliest  Hindu  poems,  these  are  the 
Harits,  who  in  Greece  were  changed  into  beau- 
tiful women  called  Charites,  the  Latin  Graces. 

435.  What  is  the  stoiy  of  Phaethon  ? 

In  an  evil  hour  he  is  said  to  have  asked  his 
father  to  let  him  drive  his  chariot  for  a  single 
day.  Helios,  much  against  his  will,  suffered 
him  to  take  the  reins.  After  rising  for  a  little 
while  into  the  heaven,  the  horses,  becoming  con- 
scious of  their  driver's  weakness,  plunged  down 
toward  the  earth ;  and  the  ground,  with  all  its 
fruits,  and  streams,  and  rivers,  was  parched  and 
dried  up.  Zeus,  seeing  that,  unless  his  course 
was  stayed,  all  living  things  must  soon  die, 

smote  Phaethon  with  his  thunderbolts,  and  the 

• 

daughters  of  Hesperus  built  his   tomb  on  the 
seashore  where  he  fell. 


150  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

436.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  name  Phaethon  ? 

It  means  the  bright  or  shining  one,  and  an- 
swers to  Phaethusa,  as  Telephos  answers  to 
Telepliassa. 

437.  What  is  the  character  of  Phaethon  ? 

He  possesses  some  portion  of  his  father's 
brightness  without  his  power. 

438.  In  this  respect  does  he  resemble  any  other  heroes  ? 

Yes ;  he  is  the  counterpart  of  Patroclos,  who 
in  the  Iliad  is  described  as  being  clothed  with 
the  armor  of  Achilles,  and  placed  in  his  chariot, 
which  is  also  drawn  by  immortal  horses,  named 
Xanthos  and  Balios  (the  golden  and  speckled). 
Patroclos,  like  Phaethon,  receives  directions 
which  he  neglects  to  obey,  and  like  Phaethon, 
he  is  slain.  In  the  Odyssey,  Telemachus  is  to 
Odysseus  what  Patroclos  in  the  Iliad  is  to 
Achilles,  and  what  Phaethon  is  to  Helios. 

439.  What  was  the  origin  of  this  story  ? 

It  grew  up  from  phrases  which  spoke  of 
drought  as  caused  by  the  chariot  of  Helios 
when  driven  by  some  one  who  knew  not  how 
to  guide  his  horses  ;  and  the  smiting  of  Phae- 
thon by  the  bolts  of  Zeus  is  the  ending  of  the 
time  of  drought  by  a  sudden  storm  o'f  thunder. 


ASKLEPIOS  OESCULAPIU&). 

440.  Who  was  Asklepios  ? 

In  Homer,  lie  is  apparently  a  son  or  descen- 
dant of  Paieon  (the  healer) ;  but  in  the  com- 
monly received  story,  he  was  the  son  of  Apollo 
and  the  nymph  Coronis,  a  daughter  of  Phle- 
gyas,  who  dwelt  on  the  shores  of  the  lake 
Boebeis. 

441.  What  is  the  legend  of  his  birth? 

It  is  said  that  before  the  birth  of  her  child, 
Apollo  left  her,  having  first  besought  her  to 
continue  faithful  to  him.  But  when  he  was 
gone,  a  beautiful  stranger  named  Ischys  came 
from  Arcadia  and  won  her  love.  The  tidings 
were  brought  to  Apollo,  whose  sister  Artemis 
smote  Coronis  with  her  unerring  spear.  But 
Phoebus  saved  the  babe  Asklepios,  and  gave 
him  into  the  charge  of  the  centaur  Cheiron,  who 
made  him  wise  in  the  art  of  healing  and  in  the 
secret  virtues  of  all  herbs.1 

442.  What  is  the  sequel  of  the  tale  ? 

Asklepios  gained  a  world- wide  fame  and  love, 
as  a  healer  of  pain  and  sickness.  But  his 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Asklepios." 


152  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

power  of  raising  the  dead  roused  the  wrath  of 
Hades,  who  complained  to  Zeus  that  his  king- 
dom would  soon  be  unpeopled,  if  Asklepios 
went  on  restoring  them  to  the  upper  world.  So 
Zeus  smote  Asklepios  with  his  thunderbolt,  and 
this  so  provoked  the  anger  of  Apollo,  that  he 
slew  the  giant  Cyclopes.  For  this  offence  Zeus 
banished  him  to  the  Stygian  land ;  but  on  the 
prayer  of  his  mother  Leto  the  punishment  was 
changed  to  a  year  of  service  in  the  house  of 
Admetus,  who  ruled  in  Pherse. 

443.  Is  the  story  of  Asklepios  told  in  any  other  way  ? 

According  to  some  versions,  Coronis  herself 
exposed  her  child,  soon  after  his  birth,  on  a  hill- 
side ;  thus  repeating  the  tale  of  Paris,  Telephus, 
(Edipus,  and  other  heroes.  The  child  was  fed 
by  a  goat,  as  Cyrus  was  nourished  by  a  dog  and 
Eomulus  by  a  wolf.  He  was  found  by  a  shep- 
herd, who  was  guided  to  the  spot  by  the  blaze 
of  light  which  surrounded  the  child.  Asklepios 
was  hence  called  .ZEglaer  (the  shiner),  a  mere 
name  for  the  sun. 

444.  What  is  Coronis  ? 

A  being  who  in  her  life  and  death  closely  re- 
sembles Procris.  Like  the  latter,  she  is  charmed 
by  a  stranger  who  comes  with  all  the  beauty  of 


ASKLEPIOS.  153 

Phoebus  from  the  Arcadian  (or  bright)  land,  as 
Apollo  comes  from  Delos ;  and  like  her  she  is 
slain  by  the  spear  of  Artemis. 

445.  What  is  the  punishment  of  Apollo  ? 

It  is  another  form  of  the  idea  which  repre- 
sents Heracles  and  Poseidon  as  toiling  in  the 
service  of  beings  weaker  than  themselves. 

446.  Whence  came  the  notion  of  the  healing  powers  of 
Asklepios. 

It  is  found,  in  germ,  in  many  legends.  The 
sun  was  regarded  naturally  as  the  restorer  of  all 
vegetable  life  after  the  long  sleep  of  winter,  and 
as  such,  his  power  was  extended  to  the  relief  of 
human  ailments,  and  finally  to  the  restoration 
of  the  dead  to  life. 

447.  Was  this  god  widely  worshipped  ? 

Yes.  Few  deities  were  more  generally  hon- 
ored. His  most  celebrated  temple  in  Greece 
was  at  Epidaurus. 


ADMETUS. 

448.  What  is  the  story  of  Admetus  ? 

This  chief  of  Pherae  was  the  happy  husband 
of  Alkestis  (Alcestis).  But  on  the  day  of  his 
marriage  he  had  made  Artemis  angry  by  neg- 
lecting her  in  a  sacrifice.  The  goddess,  how- 
ever, promised  that  when  the  hour  of  his  death 
came,  he  should  escape  his  doom,  if  his  father, 
mother,  or  wife  would  die  for  him.  Alkestis 
agreed  to  do  so,  and  was  taken  away  to  Hades ; 
but  Heracles  found  Thanatos  (death)  on  his 
road  to  the  unseen  land,  and  after  a  long  strug- 
gle, rescued  her,  and  brought  her  back  to  her 
home.1 

449.  Does  this  stoiy  throw  light  on  that  of  Asklepios  ? 

It  exhibits  Heracles  as  bringing  back  the 
dead  after  a  forcible  struggle  with  Thanatos  or 
Death.  But  that  idea  of  the  wisdom  of  Phoebus 
Apollo,  which  is  seen  in  the  legend  of  Hermes, 
would  naturally  suggest  the  notion  that  he  or 
his  son  could  restore  the  sick  to  health,  or  re- 
call the  dead  to  life,  without  any  such  violent 
contests. 

1  Thebes  and  Argos,  p.  190. 


LYCAOK 

450.  Who  was  Lycaon  ? 

He  is  called  a  son  of  Pelasgus,  and  is  said  to 
have  built  Lycosura  in  Arcadia. 

451.  What  stoiy  is  told  about  him? 

It  is  said  that  when  Zeus  came  to  visit 
Lycaon,  he  and  his  twenty  or  fifty  sons  set  be- 
fore him  a  meal  of  human  flesh,  and  that  Zeus, 
in  his  anger  at  this  offence,  turned  them  all  into 
wolves.1 

452.  How  is  this  strange  tale  to  be  accounted  for? 

It  arose  simply  from  the  attempt  to  explain  a 
name,  the  true  meaning  of  which  had  been  for- 
gotten. 

453.  What  is  the  meaning  of  Lycaon  ? 

Like  Delos,  Ortygia,  Phoenicia,  and  Lycia,  it 
denoted  brightness  or  splendor.  Hence  he  is 
placed  in  Arcadia,  which  also  means  the  bright 
land. 

454.  Whence  then  came  the  notion  of  wolves  ? 

The  Greek  word  Lucos,  a  wolf,  is  the  same  in 
sound  with  Leiicos  (white  or  glistening),  whence 

1  "Deucalion,"  Thebes  and  Argos,  p.  194. 


156  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

came  the   names   Lykios   and   Lykegenes  for 
Phoebus,  and  Lucna,  Luna,  for  the  moon. 

455.  Are  there  other  instances  of  similar  changes  ? 

They  are  very  common.  Thus  Callisto  (the 
fairest)  is  a  daughter  of  Areas,  the  bright  one ; 
but  the  root  from  which  Areas  comes  is  the 
same  as  the  root  of  the  word  Arctos,  a  bear; 
and  hence  the  story  went  that  Callisto,  rousing 
the  anger  of  Artemis,  was  turned  into  a  bear. 

456.  Can  you  mention  any  other  instance  ? 

The  constellation  now  known  as  Arctus  and 
Arcturus  received  its  name  from  the  root  which 
meant  to  shine ;  but  for  the  same  reason  which 
changed  Callisto  into  a  bear,  the  notion  rose 
that  these  stars  also  were  inhabited  by  bears, 
and  thus  came  the  names  of  the  Great  and 
Little  Bear. 

457.  Was  the  name  changed  in  India  in  the  same  way  as 
in  Greece  ? 

Not  in  the  same  way,  but  in  exactly  the  same 
spirit.  The  root  ark  there  entered  into  the 
word  SisJii,  which  means  a  wise  man ;  and  hence 
the  seven  arkshas,  or  shiners,  were  changed  into 
the  abode  of  the  seven  Bishis,  or  Sages.  So 
again,  the  word  star  means  a  streiuer  of  light, 
and  is  the  same  as  the  Hindu  word  tdra ;  but 
this  word  was  confused  with  another  like  it, 


LYCAON.  157 

wliicli  meant  a  wagon-ox,  and  hence  the  constel- 
lation came  to  be  also  called  Charles's  Wain  or 
wagon.  In  the  same  way  Phoebus  and  Heracles 
were  said  to  fight  with  poisoned  weapons,  be- 
cause the  same  sound  was  used  to  express  the 
notions  of  arrow  and  poison. 


DEUCALIOK 

458.  What  is  tlie  story  of  Deucalion  ? 

It  is  said  that  in  the  days  of  Deucalion,  chief 
of  Phthia,  and  son  of  Prometheus  and  Clymene, 
Zeus  resolved  to  punish  the  wickedness  of  men, 
which  had  reached  its  height  in  the  iniquity  of 
Lycaon  and  his  sons.  He  therefore  sent  a  flood 
upon  the  earth,  and  as  the  waters  rose,  Deuca- 
lion bade  his  wife  Pyrrha  make  ready  the  ark 
which  he  had  built  at  the  warning  of  his  father 
Prometheus.  Then  getting  into  it,  he  and  his 
wife  were  borne  for  eight  days  on  the  waters, 
and  on  the  ninth  the  ark  rested  on  the  heights 
of  Parnassus.  There,  having  left  the  ark,  they 
offered  sacrifice  to  Zeus,  who  sent  Hermes  to 
grant  any  prayer  that  Deucalion  might  offer. 
Deucalion  prayed  for  the  restoration  of  the 
human  race,  and  Hermes  said  that  he  and  his 
wife  should  cover  their  faces  with  their  mantles, 
and  cast  the  bones  of  their  mother  behind  them 
as  they  went  on  their  way.  The  wisdom  which 
came  to  him  from  his  father  Prometheus,  taught 
him  that  his  mother  was  the  earth,  and  that 
they  wrere  to  cast  the  stones  behind  them  as 


DEUCALION.  159 

they  went  down  from  Parnassus.  The  stones 
thus  thrown  became  men  and  women,  who  at 
once  begin  the  life  of  hard  toil  which  ever  since 
that  day  has  been  the  lot  of  man.1 

459.  When  is  this  flood  said  to  have  taken  place  ? 

By  some  it  was  assigned  to  the  reign  of 
Ogyges,  a  mythical  king  of  Athens  ;  but  there 
are  many  variations  in  the  tale.  Some  said 
that  all  men  then  perished ;  others  held  that 
the  men  of  Delphi  escaped.  So  in  the  Baby- 
lonish story  of  Xisuthrus,  the  flood  spares  all 
the  pious.  In  some  versions  of  the  Indian 
tale,  Manu  enters  into  the  ark  with  the  seven 
sages  or  Bishis,  who  remain  with  him  till  it  is 
landed  on  the  peak  called  Naubandhana,  from 
the  binding  of  the  ship. 

460.  Can  the  names  in  this  legend  be  explained  ? 

The  name  Deucalion  is  connected  with  that 
of  Polydeukes  (or  Pollux),  the  brilliant  son  of 
Leda  (another  form  of  Leto).  His  wife  Pyrrha, 
the  red  (perhaps  as  denoting  the  red  earth),  be- 
longs to  the  same  class  with  lole,  locaste, 
lamos,  the  violet-colored,  and  Phoenix,  the  purple. 

461.  Is  the  story  of  Deucalion  connected  with  any  other 
tales  ? 

1  Thebes  and  Argos,  p.  196. 


160  MANUAL  OF   MYTHOLOGY. 

Yes,  witli  very  many.  The  legend  of  Pro- 
metheus is  bound  up  with  that  of  lo  and 
Heracles,  Epimetheus,  Pandora,  Athena,  and 
others.  Deucalion,  again,  is  the  father  of  Mi- 
nos, the  Indian  Manu  (the  thinker,  or  man)  ;  and 
Minos  is  father  of  Ariadne,  whom  Theseus  led 
to  Naxos  after  slaying  the  Minotaur.  Minos  is 
further  connected  with  the  Argive  tale  of  Nisos 
and  Skylla  (Scylla). 

462.  Are  any  other  children  of  Deucalion  mentioned  ? 

He  is  also  called  the  father  of  Hellen  (from 
whom  the  Hellenes  or  Greeks  are  said  to  have 
sprung),  and  of  Protogeneia,  the  early  morning, 
ihe  first-born  of  the  sun. 

4G3.  Is  the  story  carried  on  in  the  same  spirit  ? 

Yes.  Protogeneia,  the  dawn,  becomes  the 
mother  of  Aethlios,  the  toiling  and  striving  sun, 
who,  like  Heracles  and  Achilles,  labors  for 
others,  not  for  himself :  and  Aethlios  is  the 
father  of  Endymion  the  fair,  who  sinks  to  sleep 
in  the  Latmian  cave,  as  the  sun  plunges  intoA 
the  western  sea. 

464.  Is  the  story  of  Deucalion  retained  in  the  traditions 
of  any  other  people  ? 

The  Macusi-Indians  of  South  America  relate, 
it  is  said,  that  the  last  man  who  survived  the 


DEUCALION.  161 

flood  repeopled  the  earth  by  changing  stones 
into'  men.  According  to  the  Tamanaks  of  Ori- 
noko,  it  was  a  pair  of  human  beings  who  cast 
behind  them  the  fruit  of  a  certain  palm,  and 
out  of  the  kernels  sprang  men  and  women. 

11 


IO. 

4G5.  Who  was  lo  ? 

Io  is  called  a  daughter  of  Inachus,  king  of 
Argos.  She  is  said  to  have  been  loved  by 
Zeus,  who  changed  her  into  a  heifer  to  protect 
her  against  the  jealousy  of  Hera.  Hera,  how- 
ever, gained  possession  of  Io  by  prevailing  on 
Zeus  to  grant  her  that  which  she  might  desire, 
and  gave  her  in  charge  to  Argos  Panoptes,  the 
all-seeing. 

466.  How  was  she  rescued  from  Argos  ? 

None  were  able  to  surprise  Argos,  whose  eyes 
were  never  closed,  until  Hermes,  the  messenger 
of  Zeus,  approached  with  his  soft  and  lulling 
music,  and  then  slew  him  when  at  last  he  slept. 
In  revenge  for  this,  Hera  sent  a  gadfly,  which 
stung  the  heifer  Io,  and  drove  her  in  agony 
from  land  to  land,  through  Thebes  and  Thrace, 
until  she  reached  the  desolate  heights  of  Cau- 
casus, where  the  Titan  Prometheus  hung 
chained  to  the  rock,  while  a  vulture  gnawed 
his  liver.1 

467.  Who  was  Prometheus  ? 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Io  and  Prometheus." 


io.  163 

The  mighty  being  who  aided  Zeus  in  his  war 
against  Cronos,  and  who  taught  men  how  to 
build  houses  and  obey  law,  and  brought  them 
down  fire  from  heaven.  This  act  roused  the 
anger  of  Zeus,  who,  forgetting  all  gratitude,  had 
Prometheus  chained  to  the  icebound  rocks  of 
Caucasus. 

468.  What  did  Io  learn  from  Prometheus  ? 

He  told  her  that  her  wanderings  were  little 
more  than  begun  ;  that  she  must  go  from  thence 
through  the  land  of  the  Amazons,  across  the 
strait,  which  from  her  should  be  called  Bosporus, 
into  Asia,  and  thence  into  the  ^Ethopian  land, 
where  she  should  become  the  mother  of 
Epaphus,  from  whom  should  hereafter  spring 
Heracles,  and  that  by  Heracles  Prometheus 
should  be  delivered  from  his  terrible  punish- 
ment. 

469.  Were  these  predictions  fulfilled  ? 

Yes,  according  to  the  generally  received  tale. 

470.  How  did  the  Greeks  regard  the  legend  ? 

As  pointing  to  a  connection  between  Greece 
and  Egypt ;  Io  being  identified  with  Isis,  and 
Epaphus  with  the  calf-god  Apis.  But,  as  in  the 
case  of  the  Sphinx,  this  notion  is  the  fancy  of  a 
later  age. 


164  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

471.  What  name  was  given  to  Hermes,  as  being  the 
slayer  of  Argos  ? 

He  was  called  Argeiphontes,  just  as  Hip- 
ponoos  was  called  Bellerophon  or  Bellerophon- 
tes,  because  he  smote  Belleros.  fc 

472.  Who  are  the  Amazons  ? 

They  were  supposed  to  be  a  tribe  of  warlike 
women,  who  lived  on  the  banks  of  the  Thermo- 
don,  suffering  no  man  to  dwell  among  them. 
They  were  said  to  have  been  so  called  from  the 
practice  of  cutting  off  the  right  breast,  to  give 
them  greater  freedom  in  using  the  bow. 

473.  Is  this  explanation  correct  ? 

No.  The  story  grew  up  because  the  meaning 
of  the  word  had  been  forgotten,  as  in  the  case 
of  Lycaon,  Arctos,  CEdipus,  and  many  others. 

474.  Is  the  name  of  Prometheus  found  in  any  other  tra- 
ditions ? 

It  is  the  Pramantha  of  the  Hindus,  who  use 
it  to  denote  the  churn  for  churning  fire  with 
pieces  of  dried  sticks. 

475.  What  does  Herodotus  tell  us  about  lo  ? 

His  story  is  that  when  a  Phoenician  merchant- 
ship  chanced  to  come  to  Argos,  she  went  on 
board  to  make  choice  of  things  to  be  purchased ; 
that  the  captain  of  the  vessel  carried  her  away, 
either  with  or  against  her  will,  and  that  this  of- 


io.  165 

fence  led  the  Greeks  to  make  reprisals  by  car- 
rying off  Medea  from  Colchis. 

476.  What  resemblance  has  this  to  the  other  tale  ? 

None  whatever ;  the  only  point  in  common 
between  them  is  that  Io  is  carried  into  Asia. 

477.  Is  Herodotus,  then,  speaking  of  the  same  Io  ? 

Clearly  he  is ;  for  he  calls  her  the  daughter 
of  Inachns. 

478.  How  is  his  version  of  the  story  to  be  accounted  for  ? 

When  the  marvellous  incidents  of  the  old  le- 
gends came  to  be  thought  incredible,  Herodotus 
and  other  writers  fancied  that  they  could  mend 
matters  by  putting  aside  all  that  was  marvel- 
lous in  each  story,  and  then  regarding  it  as  still 
the  same  story.  Thus,  according  to  him,  Io 
was  not  changed  into  a  heifer,  and  never  talked 
with  Prometheus.  In  the  same  way  the  histo- 
rian Thucydides  makes  a  very  plausible  history 
of -the  Trojan  war,  by  leaving  out  all  that  is  said 
about  Hector,  and  Helen,  and  Achilles,  and  all 
the  Bother  actors  in  the  tale. 

479.  Is  this  method  trustworthy  ? 

It  is  neither  more  nor  less  trustworthy  than 
the  story  of  Jack  the  Giant-killer  would  be,  if 
we  were  to  say  that  he  never  climbed  up  to  the 
sky  on  a  bean-stalk,  and  that  he  never  killed 
any  giants,  because  there  were  no  giants  to  kill. 


EPIMETHEUS.      « 

480.  Who  was  Epimetheus  ? 
The  brother  of  Prometheus. 

481.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  name  ? 
Epimetheus  is  one  who  takes  thought  after 

an  event,  while  Prometheus  is  one  who  con- 
siders the  matter  well  beforehand. 

482.  What  is  the  story  told  about  Epirnetheus  ? 

It  is  said  that,  before  it  was  settled  what  part 
out  of  each  victim  sacrificed  should  be  given  to 
the  gods,  Prometheus  slew  an  ox,  and  placing 
the  entrails  and  flesh  under  the  skin,  put  the 
bones  under  the  fat,  and  told  Zeus  to  take  which 
he  pleased.  Zeus  placed  his  hand  on  the  fat, 
and  was  wroth  at  finding  that  his  portion  was 
simply  fat  and  bone.  Hence,  when  Prometheus 
was  gone,  he  determined  to  punish  Epimetheus, 
who  had  been  warned  by  his  brother  to  receive 
no  gift  from  the  gods.1 

483.  Was  Epimetheus  tempted  to  neglect  this  warning  ? 

Yes.  Zeus  commanded  Hephaestus  to  take 
earth,  and  fashion  it  into  the  shape  of  a  woman. 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Epimetheus  and  Pandora." 


EriMETHEUS.  167 

This  moulded  image  Athena  clad  in  a  beautiful 
robe,  while  Hermes  gave  her  the  power  of 
words,  and  a  greedy  mind,  to  cheat  and  deceive 
mankind.  Zeus  then  led  Pandora  (for  so  she 
was  named)  to  Epimetheus,  who  received  her 
into  his  house.  There  Pandora  saw  a  great 
cask  on  the  threshold  and  lifted  the  lid ;  and 
from  it  came  strife  and  war,  plague  and  sick- 
ness, and  all  other  evils.  In  her  fright  she  let 
down  the  lid  upon  the  cask,  and  left  Hope  shut 
up  within  it,  so  that  men  had  nothing  to  make 
their  wretchedness  more  tolerable. 

484.  Is  this  story  of  Pandora's  box  understood  in  any 
other  way  ? 

Some  think  that  Hope  was  shut  up  in  the 
cask  out  of  mercy  to  men,  and  not  to  heighten 
their  misery.  But  this  is  not  the  meaning  of 
the  story  in  Hesiod,  for  Pandora  does  not  bring 
the  cask  with  her :  she  finds  it  in  the  house  of 
Epimetheus,  and  the  diseases  and  evils  can  do 
no  hurt  until  they  are  let  loose.  Hence  the 
shutting  up  of  Hope  only  makes  matters  worse 
instead  of  better. 

485.  Is  the  story  of  Prometheus  inconsistent  with  any 
other  legend  ? 

Yes  ;  it  wholly  contradicts  the  Hesiodic  story 
of  the  Five  Ages — the  Golden,  the  Silver,  the 


168  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

Brazen,  the  Heroic,  and  the  Iron.  This  tradi- 
tion supposes  that  men  lived  at  first  free  from 
want  or  pain,  or  sickness  or  misery  of  any  kind, 
until  Pandora  came  and  let  all  evils  loose.  But 
the  story  of  Prometheus  supposes  that  the  ear- 
liest state  of  man  was  one  of  utter  wretched- 
ness, and  that  their  life  was  that  of  brute  beasts, 
until  he  gave  them  houses  and  fire,  and  made 
them  live  in  decency  and  order.  This  notion 
is  also  found  in  the  story  of  Phoroneus. 


DJ3DALUS. 

486.  What  is  the  story  of  Daedalus  ? 

The  tales  recounted  of  him  are  by  no  means 
consistent.  The  commonly  received  version 
calls  him  a  son  or  descendant  of  Erechtheus,  the 
father  of  Procris,  and  says  that  he  was  banished 
for  murdering  Calos,  because  he  surpassed  him 
in  skill  of  workmanship.  Daedalus  then  went 
to  Crete,  where  he  made  the  wooden  cow  for 
Pasiphae,  and  also  constructed  the  labyrinth 
for  the  Minotaur.  For  doing  this  he  was  shut 
up  by  Minos ;  and  as  no  ships  were  left  on  the 
coast,  Dasdalus  fashioned  a  pair  of  wings  for 
himself,  and  another  for  his  son  Icarus,  and 
fastened  them  on  with  wax.  Daedalus  thus  made 
his  escape  to  Sicily ;  but  Icarus  mounted  too 
near  the  sun,  and,  melting  the  wax  of  his  wings, 
fell  into  the  Icarian  sea  and  was  drowned.  Noth- 
ing more  is  recorded  of  Daedalus,  except  that 
he  executed  many  great  works  of  art  in  the 
west. 

487.  What  is  the  meaning  of  his  name  ? 

It  means  simply  the 'cunning  or  wise  work- 
man ;  and  the  same  idea  is  found  in  the  epi- 


170  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

thet  Polymetis,  constantly  applied  to  Odysseus, 
who  also  made  a  beautiful  bridal-chamber  for 
his  wife  Penelope.  The  wisdom  of  Daedalus  is, 
in  fact,  only  another  form  of  the  wisdom  of 
Phoebus  and  (Edipus. 

488.  What  is  Icarus  ? 

A  feeble  reflection  of  his  father,  as  Phaethon 
is  of  Helios,  and  Telemachus  of  Odysseus. 


NIOBE. 

389.  Who  was  Niobe? 

Almost  every  incident  in  the  story  of  Niobe 
is  told  in  many  ways.  Thus  by  some  she  is 
called  the  mother  of  Phoroneus,  and  the  wife 
of  Inachus ;  but  the  more  popular  version 
makes  her  a  daughter  of  Tantalus,  and  the  wife 
of  Amphion,  king  of  Thebes.  Contrasting  the 
number  of  her  six  sons  and  daughters  with  the 
two  children  of  whom  alone  Leto  was  the 
mother,  she  roused  the  wrath  of  Leto,  who 
bade  jPhoebus  and  Artemis  to  avenge  the  affront. 
Accordingly  they  slew  all  the  children  of  Niobe 
with  the  arrows  which  never  miss  their  mark, 
and  Niobe,  going  to  the  mountain  of  Sipylus, 
there  wept  herself  into  stone.1 

490.  What  is  the  meaning  of  this  stoiy  ? 

The  rivalry  between  Niobe  and  Leto  is  re- 
produced in  that  between  Medusa  and  Athena ; 
and  the  many  children  of  Niobe  are  the  many 
children  of  the  mist — in  other  words,  the  clouds  ; 
•^hich,  although  as  beautiful  as  Phoebus  and 
Artemis,  are  dried  up  by  the  burning  rays  of 
the  sun,  while  Niobe  herself  dissolves  in  a  rain 
of  tears,  which  turns  into  hard  ice  on  the  moun- 
tain smrimit. 

1  "  Niobe  and  Leto."    Tales  of  Ancient  Greece. 


TANTALUS. 
491.  What  is  the  story  of  Tantalus  ? 

He  is  said  to  have  been  a  king  of  Lydia, 
who  had  a  palace  blazing  with  gold  beneath 
Mount  Sipylus,  where  Niobe  wept  herself  to 
stone.  He  was  as  widely  known  for  his  wis- 
dom and  power  as  his  wife,  Euryanassa,  was 
for  her  beauty.  Indeed,  Tantalus  was  admitted 
to  share  the  secret  counsels  of  Zeus,  and  thus 
gained  a  knowledge  beyond  the  reach  of  mor- 
tals. But  in  course  of  time  he  stole  some  of 
the  food  and  drink  of  the  gods,  and  gave  them 
to  his  people ;  and  he  also  refused  to  give  up 
the  dog  Pandareos,  who  had  guarded  Zeus  in 
the  cave  of  Dicte.  Finally,  when  Zeus  and  all 
the  gods  came  down  to  feast  in  his  banquet 
hall,  he  cut  up  his  own  child  Pelops,  and  placed 
his  roasted  limbs  before  them  as  a  repast.  Pe- 
lops was  restored  to  life  by  Zeus,  who  doomed 
Tantalus  to  gaze  on  beautiful  fruits  which  he 
might  not  touch,  and  on  clear  waters  which  he 
might  not  taste.  If  he  bowed  his  head  to  drink, 
the  waters  fled  away  :  if  he  put  forth  his  hand 
to  pluck  the  fruit,  the  branches  which  bore 


TANTALUS.  173 

them  vanished,  and  a  huge  rock  appearing 
above  his  head  threatened  to  crush  him  to 
powder.1 

492.  Can  this  story  be  explained  ? 

It  is  one  of  the  most  transparent  of  Greek 
legends.  The  palace  of  Tantalus  is  the  golden 
house  of  Helios,  from  which  Phaeton  goes  forth 
on  his  luckless  journey.  His  wisdom  is  the 
wisdom  of  Phoebus,  QEdipus,  and  Odysseus. 
His  frequent  converse  with  Zeus  represents  the 
daily  visits  of  Helios  to  the  heights  of  heaven. 
His  theft  of  nectar  and  ambrosia  answers  to 
the  theft  of  fire  by  Prometheus,  and  the  wealth 
which  he  bestows  on  the  people  is  the  wealth 
which  the  warmth  of  the  sun  draws  forth  from 
the  earth.  But  as  the  sun,  when  his  heat  be- 
comes too  great,  burns  up  these  fruits,  so,  when 
such  drought  came,  men  said,  "Tantalus  is 
slaying  and  roasting  his  own  child."  The  res- 
toration of  Pelops  to  life  is  the  action  of  that 
mighty  power  which  restores  freshness  to  the 
earth  after  drought,  and  which  is  wielded  by 
Asklepios  and  Medea.  The  sentence  passed 
on  Tantalus  agrees  closely  with  the  same  idea. 
His  stooping  to  drink  the  water  and  eat  the 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece. 


174  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

fruits  which  surround  him  points  to  the  drying 
up  of  streams  and  the  withering  of  herbage  by 
the  fierce  rays  of  the  sun.  The  rock  which 
threatens  to  crush  him  is  the  dark  stormcloud 
which  broods  like  the  Sphinx  over  the  earth,  or 
frowns  like  Polyphemus  on  Odysseus.  And  as 
the  earth  is  the  more  scorched  in  proportion 
as  the  sun  may  be  said  to  stoop  nearer  down 
to  it,  the  expression  "to  be  tantalized"  is  ap- 
plied to  all  disappointments  when  the  prize 
sought  seems  within  our  grasp. 
493.  Who  is  Euryanassa  ? 

The  broad-ruling  day — a  name  corresponding 
to  Eurymedusa,  Euryphassa,  Europa,  all  names 
for  the  morning  or  the  day. 


IXION. 

494.  Who  was  Ixion  ? 

By  some  he  is  called  a  son  of  Phlegyas  (the 
flaming  one),  and  he  is  said  to  have  married  Dia, 
the  daughter  of  Hesioneus,  to  whom  he  prom- 
ised rich  gifts,  which,  after  the  marriage,  he  re- 
fused to  send. 

495.  How  did  Hesioneus  bear  this  refusal  ? 

He  stole  the  undying  horses  which  bore  the 
gleaming  chariot  of  Ixion,  who  told  Hesioneus 
to  come  and  take  the  gifts  if  he  wished  to  have 
them.  Hesioneus  went  accordingly,  and  when 
he  insisted  on  seeing  the  treasure-house  where 
the  gifts  were  stored,  Ixion  opened  the  door, 
and  Hesioneus  fell  into  a  pit  full  of  fire.1 

496.  What  followed  this  murder? 

A  time  of  drought  and  wretchedness  until 
Zeus  purified  Ixion  from  his  guilt. 

497.  How  did  Ixion  requite  this  kindness  ? 

By  offering  his  love  to  Hera,  the  queen  of 
heaven. 

498.  How  did  Zeus  meet  this  new  danger  ? 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Ixion." 


176         MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

He  made  a  cloud  assume  the  likeness  of  Hera, 
and  thus  deceived  Ixion,  who  became  the  father 
of  the  Kentaurs  (Centaurs) ;  and  to  punish  Ixion 
still  further,  he  bound  him  to  a  four-spoked 
wheel  which  bears  him  round  forever  and  ever. 

499.  What  is  the  meaning  of  this  tale  ? 

Like  that  of  Tantalus,  it  describes  some  part 
of  the  action  of  the  sun  in  its  journey  through 
the  sky. 

500.  WhatisDia? 

A  being  who  represents  the  fair  Dawn,  and 
who  answers  to  Dahana,  Daphne,  lole,  locaste, 
and  Eurydike.  As  Heracles  forsakes  lole,  and 
Sigurd  leaves  Brynhild,  as  (Edipus  and  Orpheus 
are  parted  from  locaste  and  Eurydike,  and  as 
Theseus  deserts  Ariadne,  so  Ixion  leaves  Dia, 
and  is  smitten  with  the  charms  of  Hera. 

501.  What  is  Hesioneus  ? 

The  darkness  from  which  Dia,  the  dawn, 
springs. 

502.  What  is  the  treasure-house  of  Ixion  ? 

It  is  the  palace  of  Helios  and  Tantalus,  the 
abyss  of  splendor  in  which  the  Night  is  con- 
sumed. 

503.  Why  is  Ixion  made  to  love  the  lady  Hera  ? 
Because  the  sun,  as  it  rises  in  the  heaven, 


IXION.  177 

may  be  said  to  woo  the  blue  sky,  which  was 
specially  the  abode  of  Hera  and  Zeus. 

504.  What  is  the  sojourn  of  Ixion  in  the  house  of  Zeus  ? 
It  is  the  long  pause  which  the  sun  seems  to 

make  in  the  highest  heaven  at  noon-tide. 

505.  What  is  the  phantom  which  cheats  Ixion  ? 

The  beautiful  cloud  which  reposes  on  the 
deep  blue  sky ;  and  the  Kentaurs,  the  Indian 
Gandharvas,  are  its  children — the  vapors  which 
expand  from  the  little  cloud  during  the  rainy 
time  in  eastern  lands. 

506.  What  is  the  four-spoked  wheel  of  Ixion  ? 

It  is  the  fiery  cross  which  is  seen  in  the  sky 
by  those  who  look  on  the  sun  at  noonday. 

507.  Can  the  name  Ixion  be  explained  ? 

It  has  been  identified  by  some  with  the  San- 
skrit word  Akshanah,  denoting  one  who  is  bound 
to  a  wheel ;  the  word  Ixion  being  thus  regarded 
as  akin  to  the  Greek  axon,  the  Latin  axis,  and 
the  English  axle. 

508.  Is  the  germ  of  the  story  of  Ixion  found  in  these  old 
poems  ? 

It  is  said  that  Dyaus  (the  sky)  struggled  hard 
to  snatch  the  wheel  of  the  sun  from  the  grasp 
of  Night.  From  such  phrases  sprung  the  notion 
of  the  dark  Gorgons  chasing  Perseus  as  he 
hastens  to  the  Hyperborean  gardens. 

12 


BELLEROPHON,  OR  BELLEROPHONTES. 

509.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  word  Bellerophon  ? 

It  means  the  slayer  of  Belleros,  as  Hermes  is 
called  Argeiphontes,  because  lie  slew  Argus; 
and  the  name  was  given  to  Hipponoos,  the  son 
of  Glaucos  (the  bright  or  shining  one). 

510.  Who  was  the  father  of  Glaucos  ? 

Sisyphus,  the  crafty,  whose  punishment  in 
Tartarus  is  to  roll  to  the  top  of  a  hill  a  stone 
which  immediately  rolls  down  again,  just  as  the 
sun  is  forced  to  descend  as  soon  as  he  has 
reached  the  highest  point  in  his  course  through 
the  heaven. 

511.  What  is  the  story  of  Bellerophon  ? 

After  slaying  Belleros,  he  fled  to  the  court  of 
Proetus,  whose  wife,  Anteia,  fell  in  love  with 
Bellerophon,  who  shut  his  ears  to  her  persua- 
sions. Anteia  then  accused  him  to  Proetus  of 
an  attempt  to  corrupt  her,  and  Proetus  sent  him 
to  lobates,  king  of  Lydia,  with  letters  charging 
him  to  put  the  bearer  to  death.  This  lobates 
would  not  do,  but  he  imposed  on  Bellerophon 
some  hard  tasks.  Bellerophon  accordingly  slew 


BELLEROrilON.  179 

the  Chiinaera,  which  had  the  head  of  a  lion,  the 
body  of  a  goat,  and  the  tail  of  a  dragon. 

512.  How  did  lie  accomplish  this  ? 

By  the  aid  of  the  winged  horse  Pegasus, 
which  he  had  caught  while  drinking  at  the 
fountain  of  Pirene. 

513.  What  were  his  next  exploits  ? 

He  conquered  the  Solymi  and  Amazons,  and 
then  he  married  the  daughter  of  lobates,  after 
which  he  tried  to  rise  to  heaven  on  Pegasus, 
but  Zeus  sent  a  gadfly  which  stung  the  horse 
and  made  him  throw  his  rider.  Bellerophon 
was  not  killed,  but  his  strength  was  broken,  and 
after  wandering  for  some  time  alone  on  the 
Aleian  plain,  he  died.1 

514.  Does  this  story  resemble  any  others  ? 

The  tasks  imposed  on  Bellerophon  answer 
exactly  to  the  labors  of  Heracles,  Perseus, 
Theseus,  and  other  heroes.  His  rejection  of  the 
love  of  Anteia  is  the  desertion  of  Brynhild  by 
Sigurd,  or  of  (Enone  by  Paris.  So  after  slaying 
the  Chimgera,  he  wins  his  bride,  as  QBdipus  wins 
lo caste  after  conquering  the  Sphinx,  and  Per- 
seus is  wedded  to  Andromeda  after  killing  the 
Libyan  dragon.  His  attempt  to  fly  to  heaven 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Bellerophon." 


180  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

is  the  attempt  of  Phaethon  to  drive  the  chariot 
of  Helios,  and  of  Ixion  to  gain  possession  of 
Hera.  The  gadfly  which  stings  Pegasus  reap- 
pears in  the  story  of  lo.  The  fall  of  Bellero- 
phon  is  the  rapid  descent  of  the  sun  toward 
evening,  and  the  Aleian  plain  is  that  broad  ex- 
panse of  sombre  light  through  which  the  sun  is 
sometimes  seen  to  travel  sullenly  and  alone  to 
his  setting. 


SKYLLA  (SCYLLA). 

515.  Who  was  Skylla? 

She  is  called  a  daughter  of  Nisos,  king  of 
Megara. 

516.  What  story  is  told  about  her? 

She  is  said  to  have  fallen  in  love  with  Minos 
when  he  came  to  take  vengeance  for  the  death 
of  his  son  Androgeos.  When  Minos  failed  in  all 
his  attempts  to  take  the  city,  Skylla  shore  off 
the  purple  locks  of  hair  on  the  head  of  Nisus,  on 
which  the  safety  of  the  city  depended.  As  soon 
as  Minos  had  the  locks  in  his  possession,  Megara 
was  taken;  but  far  from  returning  her  love, 
Minos,  according  to  one  story,  drowned  her  in 
the  sea :  in  another,  she  was  turned  into  a  fish, 
which  Nisos  changed  into  an  eagle,  instantly 
pursued. 

517.  Who  was  Minos  ? 

A  son  of  Europa  and  Zeus,  who  is  said  to 
have  been  king  of  Crete,  and  who,  after  his 
death,  became,  with  Khadamanthus  and  .ZEacus, 
one  of  the  judges  of  the  dead.  He  is  the  same 
as  the  Indian  Manu,  the  son  of  Brahma. 


182  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

518.  What  is  the  magic  lock  of  Nisus  ? 

It  represents  the  golden  rays  of  Phoebus,  the 
sun-god,  who  is  called  Akersekomes,  or  the 
being  whose  head  is  not  touched  with  a  razor. 


IAMOS. 

519.  Who  was  lamos  ? 

A  son  of  Plioebus  and  Evadne,  born  on  the 
banks  of  the  Alpheius.  On  his  birth  Evadne, 
fearing  the  wrath  of  her  father  .ZEpytus,  chief  of 
Phsesana,  fled  away,  and  Phoebus  sent  two  ser- 
pents who  guarded  the  child  and  fed  him  with 
honey.  JEpytus,  after  a  long  search,  found  the 
babe  lying  on  a  bed  of  violets  ;  and  the  child 
soon  showed  himself  possessed  of  a  marvellous 
wisdom,  for  Phoebus,  touching  his  ears,  made 
him  understand  the  voices  of  birds,  and  under- 
neath the  waters  of  Alpheius  lamos  had  gained 
a  knowledge  of  things  hidden  from  the  minds  of 
men.  His  children,  the  lamidae,  were  the  fa- 
mous seers  or  prophets  of  Olympia.1 

520.  What  likeness  has  this  legend  to  others  ? 

The  exposure  of  lamos  is  the  same  as  that  of 
(Edipus,  Perseus,  Telephus,  and  other  heroes. 
The  snakes  are  here,  as  elsewhere,  the  serpents 
of  night ;  but  as  in  the  old  phrases  the  night 
was  described  sometimes  as  dark  and  gloomy, 
sometimes  as  lovely  and  gentle,  so  here  the 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  lamos." 


184:  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

snakes  which  seek  to  sting  Heracles  are  repre- 
sented as  nursing  lamos. 

521.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  name  lamos  ? 

The  meaning  has  been  rightly  preserved  in 
the  story.  Like  lole,  locaste,  and  others,  it  de- 
notes the  violet  tints  of  the  morning. 

522.  What  is  the.  wisdom  of  lamos  ? 

It  is  the  wisdom  of  Phoebus,  which  he  im- 
parted to  his  son  Asklepios  and  in  part  to 
Hermes,  and  which  is  shared  also  by  Medea. 


AMPHIAKAOS. 

523.  Who  was  Amphiaraos  ? 

A  descendant  of  the  wise  seer  Melampns, 
whose  ears,  being  cleansed  by  serpents,  were 
enabled  to  catch  the  utterances  of  birds. 

524.  Was  this  power  granted  to  any  other  ? 
Yes ;  to  lamos. 

525.  What  exploits  are  attributed  to  Amphiaraos  ? 

He  took  part  in  the  Calydonian  boar-hnnt 
and  the  Argonautic  expedition,  and  finally  in 
the  war  at  Thebes  waged  by  Polyneikes  against 
his  brother  Eteocles.  With  this  strife  Amphia- 
raos wished  to  have  nothing  to  do  ;  but  his  wife 
Eriphyle,  bribed  by  the  necklace  which  Cadmus 
gave  to  Harmonia,  betrayed  her  husband's 
lurking-place.  "When,  in  the  fight  which  fol- 
lowed the  death  of  the  sons  of  (Edipus,  Am- 
phiaraos found  himself  hard  pressed,  he  prayed 
to  Zeus,  who  caused  the  earth  to  open  and 
swallow  up  his  chariot. 

526.  What  was  the  recompense  of  Eriphyle  ? 

She  was  killed  by  her  son  Alcmason,  who, 
after  long  wanderings,  found  rest  on  the  islands 
at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Achelous. 


186  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

527.  "Was  this  the  end  of  Alcmseon's  history  ? 

No.  He  led  the  Epigoni  (the  sons  of  the 
chiefs  who  had  fought  in  the  former  war)  to  that 
attack  upon  Thebes  which  ended  with  the  de- 
struction of  the  city. 


BRIAREOS  (BRIAREUS). 
528.  Who  was  Briareos  ? 

The  hundred-handed  son  of  Ouranos  and 
Gaia,  otherwise  called  -ZEgaeon.  When  Hera, 
Poseidon,  and  Athena  were  going  to  bind  Zeus, 
Thetis  warned  him  of  his  danger,  and  Zeus, 
summoning  Briareos  to  his  side,  so  frightened 
the  conspirators  that  they  gave  up  their  at- 
tempt. 


ARETHUSA. 

529.  Wlio  was  Arethusa  ? 

One  of  the  Nereids,  or  daughters  of  Nereus, 
who  stands  to  Poseidon  in  the  relation  of  Helios 
to  Phoebus. 

530.  What  story  is  told  of  her? 

The  hunter  Alpheius  is  said  to  have  pursued 
her,  as  Apollo  pursued  Daphne ;  and  like 
Daphne,  Arethusa,  to  escape  from  him,  threw 
herself  into  the  stream,  and  the  nymphs  carried 
her  to  the  Ortygian  shore.  Thither  Alpheius 
followed  her  ;  and,  driven  to  despair,  Arethusa 
plunged  into  the  fountain  which  bears  her  name. 
Alpheius,  unable  to  bear  her  loss,  also  plunged 
into  the  waters,  beneath  which  he  won  the  love 
which  she  had  refused  him  during  life.1 

531.  What  is  the  meaning  of  this  tale  ? 

It  is  the  parting  of  Heracles  and  lole,  who 
meets  him  again  when  his  toils  are  ended.  The 
shore  on  which  Arethusa  and  Alpheius  meet  is 
the  land  of  the  morning  and  evening  twilight. 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Arethusa." 


TYRO. 

532.  Who  was  Tyro  ? 

The  bride  of  the  river  Enipeus,  and  mother 
of  Pelias  and  Neleus. 

533.  What  is  the  legend  of  Tyro  ? 

When  her  children  were  born,  her  father  Sal- 
moneus,  who  had  married  the  iron-hearted  Si- 
dero, ordered  them  to  be  killed ;  they  were, 
accordingly,  exposed  on  the  river's  banks,  where 
they  were  rescued  by  a  herdsman.  When  they 
were  grown  up,  they  put  Sidero  to  death,  and 
delivered  Tyro  from  the  dungeon  in  which  she 
had  been  imprisoned  by  Salmoneus  because  she 
refused  to  become  the  wife  of  Cretheus.1 

534.  What  other  story  does  this  tale  resemble  ? 

It  is  only  another  form  of  the  legend  of 
Danae.  Pelias  and  Neleus  are  exposed  like 
Perseus,  and  rescued  in  the  same  way  with 
Cyrus,  Komulus,  and  Eemus.  As  Danae  re- 
fuses to  marry  Polydectes,  so  Tyro  rejects  the 
hand  of  Cretheus  ;  and  as  Perseus  brings  Danae 
back  to  Argos,  after  avenging  her  of  her  perse- 
cutors, so  Pelias  and  Neleus  set  free  their 
mother  after  they  have  slain  her  tormentor, 
Sidero. 

i  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Tyro." 


NARCISSUS. 

535.  What  is  the  story  of  Narcissus  ? 

This  son  of  the  river  Kephisos  (Cephisus)  was 
loved  by  the  nymph  Echo,  who,  failing  to  win 
his  love  in  return,  died  of  grief.  As  a  punish- 
ment, Nemesis  made  Narcissus  fall  in  love  with 
his  own  image  reflected  in  water,  and  the  youth, 
in  his  turn,  pined  away  from  unsatisfied  long- 
ing. On  the  spot  where  he  died,  the  flower 
sprang  up  which  is  called  by  his  name.  Later 
versions  said  that  he  was  turned  into  a  narcis- 
sus, as  they  also  said  that  Daphne  was  changed 
into  a  laurel.1 

536.  What  is  the  love  of  Echo  for  Narcissus  ? 

It  is  only  another  version  of  the  love  of  Se- 
lene for  Endymion  (the  sun  just  plunging  into 
the  sea) ;  and  as  Endymion  sleeps  in  Latmos 
(the  land  of  forgetfulness),  so  the  name  Narcis- 
sus denotes  the  numbness  or  deadness  of  pro- 
found sleep,  and  thus  expresses  precisely  the 
same  idea  which  marks  the  legend  of  Endymion. 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Narkissos." 


THE   ARGONAUTS. 

537.  What  was  the  Argonautic  expedition  ? 

An  expedition  of  many  Achaian  chieftains  to 
recover  the  golden  fleece. 

538.  What  was  the  golden  fleece  ? 

It  belonged  to  the  golden  ram  of  Phrixus. 

539.  What  is  the  story  of  Phrixus? 

He  is  called  the  son  of  Athamas  andNephele. 
On  the  death  of  Nephele,  Athamas  married  Ino, 
and  Phrixus  with  his  sister  Helle  lived  in  great 
unhappiness  until  a  ram  with  a  golden  fleece 
carried  them  away.  As  it  soared  through  the 
air,  Helle  fell  off  its  back,  and  was  drowned  in 
the  Hellespont,  which  bears  her  name.  Phrixus 
was  carried  onward  to  the  palace  of  ^Eetes  king 
of  Colchis,  and  there  he  sacrificed  to  Zeus,  the 
guardian  of  fugitives,  the  ram  who  had  borne 
him  thither.  The  golden  fleece  was  hung  up 
in  the  house  of  ^Eetes,  until  the  Achaian  chief- 
tains, urged  on  by  Athamas,  came  to  claim  it.1 

540.  How  was  the  expedition  planned  ? 

There   are  many  versions  to  the  story ;  but 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Phrixos  and  Helle." 


192  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

the  one  most  commonly  received  states  that 
Pelias,  a  nephew  of  Jason,  had  received  a  warn- 
ing to  be  on  his  guard  against  a  man  with  only 
one  shoe,  and  that  when  Jason  appeared  at  a 
sacrifice,  having  lost  one  of  his  sandals  in  a 
stream,  Pelias  bade  him  go  and  fetch  the  gold- 
en fleece  from  Colchis.  Jason,  accordingly, 
gathered  all  the  great  chieftains  round  about, 
and  sailed  away  in  the  ship  Argo,  which  was 
endowed  with  the  power  of  speech.  Among 
those  who  went  with  him  were  Heracles,  Melea- 
gros,  Amphiaraos,  Admetus,  and  other  heroes. 
Sailing  eastward  they  passed  through  the  dan- 
gerous rocks  called  Symplegades,  which  opened 
and  were  again  closed  continually  with  such 
quickness  that  a  bird  had  scarcely  time  to  fly 
through.  Tiphys  steered  the  vessel  safely 
through  these  rocks,  which  thenceforth  became 
fixed.  Having  passed  through  the  land  of  the 
Amazons,  they  at  last  reached  Colchis,  where 
Jason  demanded  the  fleece  from  JEetes,  who 
refused  to  give  it  up  until  Jason  had  ploughed 
the  land  with  the  fire-breathing  bulls  and  sown 
it  with  the  dragon's  teeth.  This  he  was  enabled 
to  do  by  the  aid  of  Medea,  who  anointed  his 
body  with  an  ointment  which  protected  him 
against  the  fiery  breath  of  the  bulls,  and  told 


THE  AEGONAUTS.  193 

him  to  cast  a  stone  among  the  armed  men  who 
would  spring  up  from  the  dragon's  teeth. 

541.  What  was  the  result? 

As  soon  as  Jason  threw  the  stone,  the  men 
began  to  fight  with  each  other,  until  all  were 
slain.  Then  Medea  lulled  to  sleep  the  dragon 
which  guarded  the  fleece,  and  Jason,  slaying  the 
monster,  gained  possession  of  the  treasure,  and 
hastened  away  in  the  ship  Argo. 

542.  What  incidents  Jbelong  to  the  return  voyage  ? 

.ZEetes  pursued  the  ship  in  hot  haste ;  and 
Medea,  who  had  fled  with  Jason,  cut  up  her 
brother  Apsyrtus,  and  threw  his  limbs  one  by 
one  into  the  sea.  2Eetes  stopped  to  pick  them 
up,  and  the  ship  thus  passed  beyond  his  reach. 

543.  What  happened  on  Jason's  return  to  lolcos  ? 

Medea  persuaded  the  daughters  of  Pelias  to 
cut  up  the  body  of  their  father,  and  place  them 
in  a  caldron,  saying  that  she  would  restore  him 
again  to  life  as  in  his  youth.  They  obeyed ; 
but  Medea,  pretending  to  be  looking  at  the  stars 
to  know  the  right  moment  for  using  her  spells, 
allowed  his  limbs  to  be  consumed,  and  thus  the 
warning  given  to  Pelias  was  fulfilled. 

544.  Did  Jason  remain  at  lolcos  ? 

No.     Medea  took  him  in  her  dragon  chariot 

13 


194  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

to  Argos,  where  Jason  was  smitten  with  the 
beauty  of  Glauke,  the  daughter  of  Creon. 

545.  Did  Medea  bear  this  patiently.? 

She  seemed  to  be  well  pleased,  and  sent  to 
Glauke  as  a  bridal  gift  the  beautiful  robe  which 
Helios  gave  her  before  she  left  her  father's 
house.  No  sooner  had  the  maiden  put  it  on 
than  the  robe  began  to  burn  her  flesh,  and 
Creon,  who  tried  to  tear  it  off,  died  with  his 
child.  Medea  then  vanished  from  Argos  in  her 
dragon  chariot.1 

546.  Is  anything  further  recorded  of  Medea  ? 

She  is  said  to  have  killed  her  two  children, 
the  sons  of  Jason. 

547.  How  did  this  strange  and  terrible  story  spring  up  ? 

From  phrases  which  described  the  changes 
of  day  and  night. 

548.  How  is  this  shown  ? 

The  sun,  who  is  called  Helios  Hyperion  (the 
climber),  was  said  to  go  down  in  the  evening 
into  a  golden  cup  or  vessel,  which  carried  him 
across  the  ocean  stream  to  the  abode  of  black 
night,  where  he  found  his  mother,  his  wife,  and 
his  children,  and  from  this  cup  he  rose  again 
in  the  morning. 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Mecleia." 


THE  ARGONAUTS.  195 

549.  How  does  this  bear  on  the  story  of  the  Argonauts  ? 

As  in  the  oldest  Indian  poems  the  departure 
of  the  sun  left  men  in  grief  and  fear,  the  idea 
of  a  search  for  their  lost  friend  naturally  sug- 
gested itself  ;  and  all  the  things  which  he  had 
cherished  with  his  warmth  in  the  daytime  were 
supposed  to  seek  for  him  until  they  found  him 
and  brought  him  back  again. 

550.  What,  then,  is  the  ship  Argo  ? 

It  is  a  symbol  of  the  earth  as  a  parent,  which 
contains  in  itself  the  germs  of  all  living  things. 
Hence  it  carries  all  the  Achaian  chieftains,  who 
return  with  renewed  strength  and  vigor  when 
their  mission  is  accomplished. 

551.  Why  is  it  gifted  with  the  power  of  speech  ? 

As  the  parent  of  all  things,  the  earth  was  re- 
garded as  a  conscious  being,  endowed  with  the 
power  of  thought,  sight,  and  language. 

552.  What  is  the  golden  fleece? 

The  golden  garment  (or  rays)  of  the  sun, 
which  reappears  as  the  robe  given  by  Helios  to 
Medea,  and  which  may  either  warm  or  scorch 
those  whom  it  may  touch.  It  is  the  same"  robe 
which  Nessus  gives  to  Deianeira,  and  which 
consumes  the  body  of  Heracles. 

553.  What  is  Medea? 


196  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

A  being  who  possesses  that  wisdom  which 
belongs  to  Phoebus  Apollo  by  his  birthright. 
This  wisdom  is  inherited  by  Asklepios  and  Tan- 
talus, as  representing  the  sun,  who  can  see  int ) 
the  hidden  secrets  of  Zeus  (the  sky).  This  no- 
tion, when  applied  to  Medea  as  a  wise  woman, 
suggested  the  idea  of  witchcraft  or  sorcery. 

554  What  is  the  story  of  the  dragon's  teeth  ? 

Another  version  of  the  turning  of  stones  into 
men  in  the  legend  of  Deucalion. 

555.  Why  does  ^Eetes  pursue  the  retreating  Argo  ? 

Because  the  Gorgons  chase  Perseus,  as  the 
darkness  may  be  said  to  chase  the  sun  who 
leaves  it  behind  him  as  he  rises  in  the  sky. 

556.  "What  are  the  life-giving  powers  of  Medea  ? 

The  same  sun  which  causes  deadly  drought 
also  recalls  all  things  to  life  after  the  slumber 
of  night  and  the  long  sleep  of  winter.  Hence 
Medea,  like  Tantalus  and  Lycaon,  is  able  to 
slay,  and,  like  Asklepios  and  Heracles,  to  restore 
the  dead  to  life. 

557.  What  is  the  dragon  chariot  of  Medea  ? 

It  is  the  same  as  the  chariot  of  Indra,  Helios, 
and  Achilles.  That  of  Indra  is  drawn  by  the 
Harits  (who  in  western  legends  became  the 
Graces),  that  of  Helios  and  Achilles  by  undying 


THE   ARGONAUTS.  197 

horses.  The  chariot  of  Medea  is  drawn  by 
dragons,  because  the  word  dragon  means  one 
who  has  keen  sight,  and  the  name  was  natu- 
rally applied  to  the  creatures  which  may  be  sup- 
posed to  bear  the  sun  through  the  heaven. 


THE  TALE  OF  TROY. 

558.  What  is  the  tale  of  Troy  or  Ilion  ? 

It  consists  of  that  series  of  legends  which 
together  make  up  the  mythical  history  of  Paris, 
Helen,  Achilles,  and  Odysseus. 

559.  Is  the  whole  of  this  tale  contained  in  the  Iliad  and 
Odyssey,  which  are  generally  called  the  poems  of  Homer 't 

No  ;  but  there  are  expressions  and  hints  scat- 
tered throughout  the  poems  which  seem  to 
show  that  the  poets  were  acquainted  with  many 
incidents,  about  which  they  did  not  care  to 
speak. 

560.  How  does  this  tale  begin  ? 

With  the  birth  of  Paris,  whose  mother  Hecabe 
(Hecuba)  dreamt  that  her  son  was  a  torch  which 
would  destroy  the  land  of  Ilion. 

561.  What  was  the  consequence  of  this  dream  ? 

The  child  was  exposed  on  the  heathy  sides  of 
mount  Ida ;  but  he  was  rescued  by  a  shepherd, 
and  growing  up  beautiful,  brave,  and  generous, 
he  was  called  Alexandros,  the  helper  of  men. 

562.  How  was  Paris  made  known  to  his  parents  ? 

I  i  father,  Priam,  ordered  a  sacrifice  to  be 
offered  up  for  the  repose  of  Paris  in  Hades,  and 


THE  TALE   OF  TROY.  199 

liis  servants  chose  the  favorite  bull  of  Paris, 
wlio  followed  them  and  was  conqueror  in  his 
own  funeral  games.  Although  no  one  else  re- 
cognized him,  his  sister  Casandra,  to  whom 
Phoebus  had  given  the  power  of  second-sight, 
under  the  penalty  that  her  predictions  should 
not  be  believed,  told  them  who  the  victor  was. 

563.  Did  Paris  remain  in  Troy  ? 

He  refused  to  stay  with  those  who  had  treated 
him  so  cruelly  in  his  infancy,  and  in  the  dells  of 
Ida  he  won  (Enone,  the  beautiful  daughter  of 
the  stream  Kebren,  as  his  bride. 

564.  How  long  did  he  remain  with  GEnonS? 

Until  he  departed  for  Sparta  with  Mene- 
laiis. 

565.  How  was  this  brought  about  ? 

At  the  marriage-feast  of  Peleus  with  Thetis, 
the  mother  of  Achilles,  Eris  (strife),  who  had 
not  been  invited  with  the  other  gods,  cast  on 
the  table  a  golden  apple,  which  was  to  be  given 
to  the  fairest  of  all  the  guests.  It  was  claimed 
by  Hera,  Athena,  and  Aphrodite,  and  Zeus 
made  Paris  the  umpire.  By  him  it  was  given 
to  Aphrodite,  who  promised  him  in  return 
Helen,  the  loveliest  of  all  women,  as  hi  wife. 
Some  time  after  this,  there  fell  on  Sparta  L  sore 


200  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

famine,  from  which,  the  Delphian  oracle  said 
that  they  could  be  delivered  only  by  bringing 
back  the  bones  of  the  children  of  Prometheus. 
For  this  purpose,  Menelaiis,  the  king,  came  to 
Ilion,  and  returned  with  Paris,  who  saw  the 
beautiful  Helen  at  Sparta,  and  winning  her  love, 
carried  her  away  to  Troy. 

566.  How  did  Menelaiis  bear  the  loss  of  Helen? 

He  determined  to  rescue  her  from  Paris,  and 
lie  invited  Agamemnon,  king  of  Mykenae,  and 
other  great  chieftains,  to  take  part  in  the  ex- 
pedition. 

567.  Mention  the  names  of  some  of  these  chiefs  ? 

Nestor,  the  wise  ruler  of  Pylos  ;  Ajax  the  son 
of  Telamon ;  Ascalaphos  and  lalmenos,  sons  of 
Ares ;  Diomedes,  son  of  Tydeus,  and  Admetus, 
the  husband  of  Alkestis.  But  the  greatest  of  all 
was  Achilles,  the  son  of  Peleus  and  the  sea- 
nymph  Thetis,  and  Odysseus,  the  son  of  Laertes 
who  ruled  in  Ithaca. 

568.  How  did  they  go  to  Troy? 

By  sea  ;  but  the  fleet  was  becalmed  in  Aulis, 
and  Calchas,  the  seer,  affirming  that  this  was 
caused  by  the  anger  of  Artemis  for  the  slaughter 
of  a  stag  in  her  sacred  grove,  declared  that  she 


THE  TALE   OF  TKOY.  201 

could  be  appeased  only  by  the  sacrifice  of  Iphi- 
geneia,  the  daughter  of  Agamemnon.1 

569.  Was  the  sacrifice  made  ? 

Yes,  according  to  the  Homeric  story  ;  but 
others  said  that  Artemis  herself  rescued  Iphige- 
neia,  who  became  a  priestess  of  the  goddess : 
others  again  said  that  Artemis  and  Iphigeneia 
were  the  same  person. 

570.  What  was  the  consequence  of  this  deed  ? 

Ate,  who  takes  vengeance  for  the  shedding  of 
innocent  blood,  brooded  over  the  house  of  Aga- 
memnon, until  she  had  brought  about  the  death 
of  the  king  by  the  hands  of  his  wife  Clytaem- 
nestra,  and  the  death  of  Clytsemnestra  by  the 
hands  of  her  son  Orestes. 

571.  Wnatwas  tne  prophecy  of  Calchas,  when  Iphigeneia 
was  sacrificed  ? 

He  said  that  the  Achaians  would  fight  in  vain 
for  nine  years,  but  that  in  the  tenth  year  Ilion 
would  be  taken. 

572.  By  whom  was  Troy  defended  ? 

Chiefly  by  Hector,  son  of  Priam,  and  brother 
of  Paris,  aided  by  the  chiefs  of  neighboring 
cities,  among  whom  were  Jjkieas,  the  son  of 
Anchises  and  Aphrodite ;  Pandarus  the  son  of 

1  Talcs  of  ancient  Greece.    "Iphigeneia." 


202  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

Lycaon,  and  bearer  of  the  bow  of  Apollo ;  and 
Sarpedon,  who,  with  his  friend  Glaucus,  led  the 
Lycians  from  the  banks  of  the  eddying  Xanthos. 

573.  What  is  the  story  of  Sarpedon  ? 

Like  Achilles,  Meleagros,  Sigurd,  and  other 
heroes,  he  is  doomed  to  an  early  death,  which 
Zeus,  his  father,  vainly  strives  to  avert.  Fight- 
ing bravely,  he  was  smitten  by  the  spear  of 
Patroclos,  the  friend  of  Achilles,  and  the  tears 
of  Zeus  (the  sky)  fell  in  big  drops  of  rain  at  his 
untimely  fate.  Then  Phoebus  bathed  the  body 
of  Sarpedon  in  the  pure  waters  of  Simoeis,  and 
Hupnos  and  Thanatos  bore  it,  at  the  bidding  of 
Zeus,  through  the  still  hours  of  night,  to  his 
home  far  away  in  Lycia.1 

574.  "What  is  the  meaning  of  this  story  ? 

Sarpedon  is  a  name  springing  from  the  same 
root  with  Hermes,  Helen,  Erinys,  Saranyu,  and 
serpent,  and  denotes  the  morning  light  as  it 
creeps  across  the  sky.  Like  Phoebus,  he  is  king 
of  Lycia  (the  bright  land,  a  name  belonging  to 
the  same  class  with  Delos,  Ortygia,  Argos,  Ar- 
cadia, Athens,  Phoenicia,  and  Ethiopia),  through 
which  flows  Xanthos,  the  golden  stream  of  light. 
Hence  his  friend  is  called  Glaucos,  the  brilliant. 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Sarpedon." 


THE  TALE  OF  TROY.  203 

The  death  of  Sarpedon,  and  the  carrying  of  his 
body  home  during  the  night,  answer  to  the 
nightly  voyage  of  Helios  in  his  golden  cup  or 
vessel  along  the  stream  of  Ocean  which  flows 
round  the  world  of  men ;  and  the  same  idea, 
slightly  altered,  is  found  in  the  voyage  of  the 
Argonauts  for  the  golden  fleece,  or  sunlight, 
which  has  been  stolen  away. 

575.  Is  there  any  other  Trojan  hero  who  closely  resem- 
bles Sarpedon? 

Yes.  Like  him,  Memnon,  the  son  of  Eos  (the 
morning),  whose  jealousy  causes  the  death  of 
the  beautiful  Procris,  comes  from  ^Ethiopia,  the 
glistening  land.1  Like  him,  he  is  doomed  to  an 
early  death,  and  when  he  is  smitten  by  the  hand 
of  Achilles,  the  tears  of  Eos  fall  as  morning 
dew  from  the  sky.  Then  she  went  and  stood 
before  Zeus,  and  besought  him  to  bring  Mem- 
non up  from  Hades.  Zeus  granted  her  prayer, 
and  Memnon  accordingly  rose  with  Eos  to 
Olympus,  as  the  sun  rises  from  the  dark  land  of 
night  in  the  morning. 

576.  Who  was  the  father  of  Memnon  ? 

Tithonos,  whose  couch,  as  the  mythical  phrase 
went,  Eos  left  every  morning  to  bring  back  day- 
light to  the  sons  of  men.  Eos  obtained  for  him. 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Memnon." 


204  MANUAL  OF   MYTHOLOGY. 

the  boon  of  immortality,  but  as  slie  forgot  to 
ask  for  perpetual  }^outh,  Titlionos  became  de- 
crepit, and  was  doomed  to  an  everlasting  old 
age. 

577.  What  is  the  story  of  Achilles  in  the  Trojan  war  ? 

Iii  all  its  main  features  it  is  a  counterpart  of 
that  of  Meleagros,  which,  with  other  similar 
tales,  seems  to  have  furnished  the  foundation 
for  the  more  finished  Homeric  legend. 

578.  What  is  the  subject  of  the  Iliad? 

It  professes  to  relate  the  wrath  of  Achilles. 

579.  What  was  the  cause  of  this  wrath  ? 

Achilles  loved  Briseis,  whom  Agamemnon, 
when  forced  to  restore  Chryseis  to  her  father, 
took  away  from  the  hero's  tent.  Enraged  at 
this  act,  Achilles  made  a  solemn  vow  that  he 
would  no  longer  take  part  in  the  war,  and  told 
the  chiefs  that  they  would  speedily  feel  his 
absence  from  the  battle-field. 

580.  Was  this  prediction  fulfilled? 

Not  according  to  the  poem,  which,  as  a  whole, 
is  now  called  the  Iliad  ;  for  it  goes  on  to  show, 
through  many  books,  that  the  Achaian  heroes 
got  on  perfectly  well  without  Achilles,  and  ob- 
tained great  victories  over  the  Trojans. 

581.  What  are  we  to  conclude  from  this  contradiction  ? 


THE   TALE   OF  TROT.  205 

That  the  poem  called  the  Iliad  consists  of  two 
poems  which  have  been  strung  together,  and 
that  the  one  poem  relates  the  exploits  of  the 
Achaiaii  chiefs,  and  is  really  the  Iliad,  while  the 
other  describes  the  wrath  of  Achilles,  and  is 
really  the  Achilleis. 

582.  Was  the  wrath  of  Achilles  appeased  ? 

Not  until  the  Achaians  had  been  brought  to 
great  distress,  and  wTere  compelled  to  beg  hum- 
bly for  his  aid. 

583.  How  did  the  other  chiefs  venture  near  Achilles  in 
his  terrible  anger  ? 

Odysseus  and  others  went  with  Phoenix  at 
their  head,  and  Phoenix,  who  had  been  the 
teacher  of  Achilles  in  his  boyhood,  recited  to 
him  the  story  of  Meleagros,  as  an  example  of 
the  wretched  evil  which  inordinate  anger  brings 
with  it. 

584.  Does  this  appease  Achilles  ? 

No ;  he  insists  that  Agamemnon,  who  did  him 
the  wrong,  should  make  atonement  by  humble 
submission,  and  by  the  restoration  of  Briseis. 

585.  Was  this  submission  made? 

Not  immediately;  and  the  disasters  of  the 
Achaians  so  troubled  Patroclos,  the  friend  of 
Achilles,  that  he  went  to  the  hero  and  besought 


206  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

him  to  let  him  go  forth  in  his  chariot  and  with 
his  armor  to  fight  the  Trojans. 

586.  Did  Achilles  grant  this  prayer  ? 

Yes ;  but  he  gave  him  at  the  same  time  strict 
charge  to  fight  in  the  plain,  and  not  to  drive  his 
chariot  against  the  city. 

587.  Was  this  command  obeyed  ? 

Not  thoroughly ;  and  thus  Patroclos,  after 
having  slain  Sarpedon,  was  himself  overpowered 
and  killed  by  Hector,  who  stripped  off  from  his 
body  the  glistening  armor  of  Achilles. 

588.  How  did  Achilles  receive  the  tidings  of  his  death  ? 
He  tore  his  hair,  and  rending  his  clothes,  lay 

down  weeping  in  the  dust.  That  which  prayers 
and  entreaties  had  been  unable  to  obtain,  was 
wrung  from  him  by  his  overpowering  grief  and 
rage.  Achilles  swore  to  take  vengeance  against 
Hector,  and  to  sacrifice  twelve  Trojan  youths 
on  the  funeral  pile  of  his  friend. 

589.  But  how  could  he  go  to  fight  without  his  armor  ? 
At  the  prayer  of  Thetis,  Hephaestus  forged 

him  a  new  suit,  which  bore  him  aloft  like  a  bird 
upon  the  wing  ;  and  his  spear  and  sword  were 
still  in  his  tent,  for  these  no  mortal  hands  might 
wield  but  those  of  Achilles. 

590.  What  warning  did  Thetis  give  to  her  son,  when  he 
swore  to  take  the  life  of  Hector  ? 


THE  TALE   OF  TEOY.  207 

She  told  him  that  his  own  death  would  soon 
follow  that  of  Hector. 

591.  What  was  the  answer  of  Achilles  ? 

He  said  that  he  was  well  content  to  die  the 
death  of  Heracles,  if  only  Hector  died  before 
him. 

592.  "Was  this  the  only  warning  received  by  Achilles  ? 
No.     When  he  mounted  his  chariot,  and  bade 

his  immortal  steeds  bring  him  back  safe  from 
the  battle-field,  the  horse  Xanthos  bowed  his 
head,  and  told  him  that  his  life  was  nearly 
done. 

593.  What  effect  had  the  reappearance  of  Achilles  ? 

At  a  glance  of  his  eye  and  the  sound  of  his 
voice,  the  Trojans  were  filled  with  fear,  and  they 
trembled  as  the  Myrmidons,  the  followers  of 
Achilles,  rushed  to  the  battle  like  wolves  with 
blood-red  jaws  greedy  for  the  carnage.1 

594  What  was  the  issue  of  the  fight  ? 

After  fighting  bravely,  Hector  fell,  pierced 
with  the  unerring  lance  of  Achilles,  who  tram- 
pled on  his  body,  and  having  tied  it  to  his 
chariot,  dragged  it  furiously  along  the  ground, 
until  none  could  have  recognized  in  the  mangled 
features  the  beautiful  face  of  Hector. 

/ 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Achilleus." 


208  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

595.  Did  this  appease  the  wrath  of  Achilles  ? 

No.  The  death  of  Hector,  and  the  restora- 
tion of  Briseis,  pure  as  when  she  had  been  taken 
away,  would  not  satisfy  him.  His  vow  must  be 
fulfilled,  and  the  blood  of  twelve  Trojan  youths 
ran  red  on  the  altar  of  sacrifice  in  the  funeral 
games  of  Patroclos. 

596.  What  became  of  the  body  of  Hector  ? 

His  father,  the  aged  Priam,  guided  by  Hermes, 
came  to  Achilles,  and  embracing  his  knees, 
prayed  for  the  body  of  his  child,  over  which 
Phoebus  Apollo  had  spread  his  golden  shield  to 
keep  away  all  unseemly  things.  So  the  body 
of  Hector  was  borne  back  to  Ilion,  where  his 
wife  Andromache  bitterly  bemoaned  her  loss, 
and  all  the  Trojans  wept  for  him  who  had  fought 
for  them  so  bravely. 

597.  What  is  the  sequel  of  the  story  ? 

At  this  point  the  poem  called  the  Iliad  comes 
to  an  end ;  but  from  the  Odyssey  we  learn  that 
Achilles  was  slain  by  Paris  and  Phoebus  Apollo 
at  the  Skaian  or  western  gates,  and  that  Thetis, 
with  her  sea-nymphs,  rose  from  the  water  and 
wrapped  his  body  in  shining  robes,  and  after 
many  days  the  Achaians  placed  it  on  a  funeral- 
pile.  His  ashes  were  laid  in  a  golden  urn 
wrought  by  Hephaestus,  and  over  it  a  great  cairn 


THE   TALE   OF  TEOY.  209 

was  raised,  tliat  men  miglit  see  it  afar  off  as 
they  sailed  on  the  broad  Hellespontos. 

598.  What  does  the  name  "  broad"  applied  to  the  Helles- 
pont show  us  ? 

That  the  Hellespontos  of  the  Iliad  is  not  the 
narrow  strait  between  Sestos  and  Abydos,  but 
the  name  of  a  wide  sea,  so  called  probably  from 
a  people  named  Helli  or  Selli,  who  lived  on  its 
shores,  or  crossed  it  in  their  migration  from  the 
east  .to  the  west. 

599.  Was  the  death  of  Achilles  the  end  of  the  war  ? 
No.     The  Achaians  had  still  to  fight  on  until 

the  tenth  year  was  completed.  They  then  took 
Ilion  and  burnt  it,  and  Priam  and  his  people 
were  slain.  Paris  himself,  smitten  with  the 
poisoned  arrows  of  Philoctetes,  fled  to  Ida, 
where,  as  he  lay  dying,  (Enone  appeared  before 
him,  beautiful  and  loving  as  ever.  But  though 
her  love  might  soothe  him,  it  could  not  heal  a 
wound  made  by  the  weapons  of  Heracles.  So 
Paris  died  on  Ida,  and  (Enone  also  died  upon 
his  funeral  pile. 

600.  What  is  this  wonderful  siege  of  Troy  ? 

It  is  "  a  repetition  of  the  daily  siege  of  the 
east  by  the  solar  powers  that  every  evening  are 
robbed  of  their  brightest  treasures  in  the  west." 

601.  What  is  the  treasure  stolen  in  the  Iliad  ? 


210  MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

Helen,  whose  name  is  the  same  as  the  Indian 
Saranui,  the  dawn,  from  which  the  name  Her- 
meias  or  Hermes  is  likewise  derived. 

602.  Is  the  name  of  Paris  also  found  in  the  old  Sanskrit 
poems  ? 

Yes ;  he  is  there  called  Pani,  the  deceiver,  who, 
when  Sarama  comes  seeking  the  cows  of  Indra, 
beseeches  her  to  remain  with  him.  This  Sa- 
rama refuses,  but  she  accepts  from  him  a  drink 
of  milk ;  this  passing  disobedience  of  Sarama 
to  the  commands  given  to  her,  is  the  germ  of 
that  unfaithfulness  of  Helen  which  causes  the 
Trojan  war. 

603.  Are  any  other  names  common  to  the  Greek  and  In- 
dian legends  ? 

Yes.  Achilles  is  the  solar  hero  Aharyu  ; 
while  Briseis,  who  is  one  of  the  first  captives 
taken  by  the  Achaians,  is  the  offspring  of 
Brisaya,  conquered  by  the  bright  powers,  in  the 
Veda,  before  they  can  recover  the  treasures 
stolen  by  Pani. 

604.  What  is  especially  remarkable  in  this  tale  of  the 
Trojan  war  ? 

The  blending  of  different  ideas.  For,  as 
stealing  Helen  from  the  western  Sparta,  or  as 
abetting  in  this  theft,  Paris  and  all  the  Trojans 
represent  the  dark  powers  of  night  who  steal 
away  the  beautiful  twilight  from  the  western 


THE  TALE  OF  TEOY.  211 

sky.  But  in  the  lives  of  many  of  the  Trojan 
chiefs,  as  in  that  of  Paris  himself,  we  hav«  a 
repetition  of  the  life  of  Meleagros,  Sigurd,  and 
other  solar  heroes. 

605.  In  what  respects  do  they  resemble  each  other  ? 

As  Heracles  is  compelled  to  serve  Eurystheus, 
and  Perseus  has  to  do  the  bidding  of  Poly  dec  - 
tes,  so  Achilles  declares  that  he  fights  in  no 
quarrel  of  his  own,  and  that  all  the  spoils  won 
by  his  spear  go  to  Agamemnon  and  his  allies. 
Like  Phoebus,  Perseus,  Theseus,  and  others,  he 
has  an  unerring  spear,  and  his  sword  slays  all 
on  whom  it  falls.  He  loves  Briseis,  but  is  soon 
parted  from  her,  as  Sigurd  is  parted  from  Bryn- 
hild. 

COG.  What  is  the  vow  of  Achilles  when  Briseis  is  taken 
from  him  ? 

Achilles  swears  to  help  the  Achaians  no 
longer  :  in  other  words,  the  sun  hides  his  face 
behind  the  dark  cloud  ;  and  as  the  golden  rays 
are  no  longer  seen  when  the  face  of  the  sun  is 
hidden,  so  the  Myrmidons  no  longer  appear  on 
the  battle-field  when  their  chief  hangs  up  his 
spear  and  shield  within  his  tent. 

607.  Why  are  the  Myrmidons  compared  to  wolves  ? 

For  the  same  reason  which  suggested  the 
idea  that  Lycaon  and  his  sons  were  changed 


212  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

into  wolves.  The  Greek  word  Lukoi,  ivolves,  is 
the*same  in  sound  with  Leukoi,  brilliant;  and 
as  the  rajs  of  the  sun  would  be  called  Leukoi, 
so,  when  the  meaning  of  the  phrase  had  been 
in  part  forgotten,  the  Myrmidons,  who  are  sim- 
ply the  sun's  rays,  were  compared  to  wolves, 
with  gleaming  eyes  and  blood-red  jaws. 

608.  What  is  Patroclos  ? 

A  feeble  reflection  of  the  splendor  of  Achilles, 
and  standing  to  him  precisely  in  the  relation  of 
Phaethon  to  Helios,  or  of  Telemachus  to  Odys- 
seus. 

609.  How  is  this  shown  ? 

As  Phaethon  must  not  whip  the  horses  of 
Helios,  so  Patroclos  must  not  drive  the  horses 
of  Achilles  on  any  other  path  than  that  which 
has  been  pointed  out  to  him.  Both  disobey, 
and  both  are  slain. 

610.  What  is  the  struggle  which  follows  the  death  of 
Patroclos  ? 

The  battle  which  the  clouds  fight  over  the 
sun,  whose  light  they  have  for  a  time  put  out. 

611.  What  is  the  vengeance  of  Achilles  ? 

The  victory  of  the  sun,  when,  at  the  end  of 
a  stormy  day,  he  comes  forth  from  the  mists 
and  tramples  on  the  clouds  which  have  veiled 


THE   TALE   OF  TROY.  213 

his  splendors.  The  streams  of  human  blood 
poured  on  the  altar  of  sacrifice  are  the  torn  and 
crimsoned  clouds  which  stream  up  into  the  pur- 
ple heaven  at  eventide. 

612.  "Why  is  the  body  of  Patroclos  preserved  from  cor- 
ruption ? 

Because,  although  Heracles  may  die  in  the 
arms  of  lole,  the  tale  always  speaks  of  them  as 
conquerors  in  the  end  over  the  powers  which 
seem  to  subdue  them  ;  and  hence  Thetis  assures 
Achilles  that  even  if  Patroclos  lay  unburied  for 
a  year,  his  face  should  wear  at  its  close  a  more 
glorious  and  touching  beauty. 

613.  What  is  the  restoration  of  Briseis  ? 

It  is  the  return  of  lole  to  Heracles,  of  GEnone 
to  Paris,  and  of  Brynhild  to  Sigurd. 

614.  What  is  the  conflict  which  precedes  the  death  of 
Hector  ? 

The  mighty  battle  of  the  vapors  and  the 
sun,  who  seems  to  trample  on  the  darkness, 
just  as  Achilles  tramples  on  the  body  of  Hec- 
tor :  and  as  this  victory  of  the  sun  is  gained 
just  as  he  is  sinking  into  the  sea,  so  the  death 
of  Achilles  is  said  to  follow  very  soon  after  that 
of  Hector. 

615.  On  the  death  of  Achilles,  the  Trojans  and  Achaians 
are  said  to  fight  furiously  over  his  body.     Why  is  this  ? 

Because  the  idea  which  suggested  this  story 


214  MANUAL  OF   MYTHOLOGY. 

is  that  of  a  stormy  evening,  when  the  clouds 
seem  to  fight  over  the  dead  sun. 

GIG.  What  have  we  to  learn  from  all  this  ? 

That  the  chief  incidents  of  the  story,  and 
even  the  main  features  in  the  character  of  the 
chief  heroes,  were  handed  down  ready-made 
for  the  Homeric  poets.  They  might  leave  out 
this  or  that  incident,  but  they  were  not  free  to 
alter  the  character  of  any.  Thus  they  must 
describe  Achilles  as  fighting  -in  a  quarrel  which 
was  not  his  own, — as  robbed  of  Briseis, — as 
furious  with  rage  and  grief  at  her  loss, — as 
hiding  himself  in  his  tent, — as  sending  out 
Patroclos  instead  of  appearing  himself  in  the 
battle-field, — as  shedding  the  blood  of  human 
victims  near  the  funeral  pile  of  his  friend, — and 
as  dying  early  after  his  bright  but  troubled 
career. 

617.  Does  this  fact  explain  any  thing  further  ? 

It  explains  the  whole  character  of  Achilles, 
which,  regarded  as  that  of  an  Achaian  chief, 
is  untrue,  not  only  to  their  national  character, 
but  to  human  nature.  His  character,  as  drawn 
in  the  Iliad,  is  not  only  not  Achaian,  it  is  in- 
human. There  is  no  evidence  that  Achaian 
chiefs  visited  on  the  innocent  the  wrong-doings 


THE   TALE   OF   TROY.  215 

of  the  guilty  ;  that  they  had  no  sense  of  duty, 
and  no  sympathy  for  the  sufferings  of  those  who 
had  never  injured  them  ;  that  they  offered  hu- 
man sacrifices,  or  that  they  mangled  the  corpses 
of  brave  enemies  whom  they  had  slain.  But, 
although  we  have  no  evidence  that  Achaian 
chiefs  ever  did  such  things,  such  stories  could 
not  fail  to  spring  up  when  phrases  which  had 
at  first  denoted  only  the  varying  action  of  the 
sun  were  regarded  as  relating  the  deeds  of  hu- 
man beings. 


THE  RETURN  OF  THE  HEROES  FROM  TROY. 

618.  What  is  the  return  of  the  heroes  from  Troy  ? 

An  event  answering  precisely  to  the  return 
of  Jason  and  his  comrades  from  Colchis.  These 
bring  back  the  golden  fleece,  as  Menelaiis  re- 
turns with  Helen  to  Sparta. 

619.  Are  these  legends  uniform  and  consistent  ? 

Only  so  far  as  they  represent  the  heroes  re- 
turning from  the  east  to  the  west.  Otherwise 
the  incidents,  and  the  names  of  persons  and 
places,  are  changed  almost  at  will.  The  tombs 
of  Odysseus,  .ZEneas,  and  many  others,  were 
shown  in  many  and  different  places,  for  it  was 
as  easy  to  take  them  to  one  country  as  to  an- 
other. 

620.  Who  is  the  most  important  of  these  returning  chief- 
tains? 

Odysseus,  the  tale  of  whose  wanderings  is 
given  in  the  Odyssey,  and  whose  story  exactly 
reproduces  that  of  Heracles  and  Perseus. 

621.  Why  should  this  be  so  ? 

Because  the  return  from  Troy  to  Achaia  rep- 
resents the  journey  of  the  day  from  the  east  to 
the  west. 


RETURN   OF  THE   HEROES   FROM   TROY.       217 

G22.  How  can  this  be  shown  ? 

As  Indra  soon  loses  sight  of  Dahana,  as  (Edi- 
pus  in  liis  infancy  is  parted  from  locaste,  as  Si- 
gurd has  to  leave  Brynhild  almost  as  soon  as 
he  wins  her,  as  Orpheus  is  parted  from  Eury- 
dice,  and  Achilles  from  Briseis,  so  Odysseus 
soon  after  wedding  Penelope  has  to  leave  her, 
in  order  to  go  to  the  Trojan  war ;  and  when 
Helen  is  won  back  from  Paris,  he  journeys 
again,  like  the  sun,  from  the  east  to  his  home 
in  the  west. 

623.  What  is  the  character  of  his  journey? 

It  is  full  of  strange  changes  of  happiness  and 
misery,  of  successes  and  reverses,  ending  in 
complete  victory,  as  the  lights  and  shadows  of 
a  stormy  and  gloomy  day  are  often  scattered 
by  the  sun,  whose  glory  they  have  so  long 
hidden. 

624.  What  do  we  gather  from  this  ? 

That  Odysseus  is  a  counterpart  of  Achilles, 
whose  career  is  repeated  substantially  in  that 
of  the  chief  of  Ithaca,  the  main  difference  being 
that  Achilles  is  as  the  sun  in  his  strength, 
while  the  character  of  Odysseus  is  that  of  Phoe- 
bus, Asklepios,  lamus,  and  Medea,  the  posses- 
sors of  a  marvellous  and  superhuman  wisdom. 


218  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

625.  What  is  the  leading  idea  in  the  mind  of  Odysseus  ? 
An  intense  desire  and  yearning  to  be  united 

again  with  his  wife,  whom  he  left  long  ago  in 
the  bloom  of  her  youthful  beauty.  Thus,  al- 
though as  he  journeys  homeward  he  is  often 
tempted  to  tarry  in  his  course,  he  cannot  be 
made  to  give  up  his  purpose. 

626.  Why  is  this? 

Because  Helios  or  the  Sun  cannot  turn  aside 
from  the  course  marked  out  for  him,  whether 
in  his  daily  or  his  yearly  round. 

627.  What  were  the  first  dangers  encountered  by  Odys- 
seus on  his  return  to  Ithaca  ? 

His  first  conflict  was  with  a  people  called 
Kikones  (Cicones),  of  Ismarus,  who  destroyed 
six  men  out  of  every  ship  in  his  fleet.  Thence 
he  came  to  the  land  of  the  Lotophagi,  who 
spend  their  life  in  a  delicious  dream,,  eating  the 
fruit  of  the  lotos,  which  makes  all  who  taste  it 
forget  their  homes.  Here  Odysseus  had  to  bind 
some  of  his  men,  who  disobeyed  his  warning 
not  to  touch  the  fruit,  and  to  drag  them  away 
to  their  ships.  A  terrible  storm  next  carried 
him  to  the  land  of  the  Cyclopes,  giants  with  a 
single  eye  in  the  midst  of  their  foreheads. 

628.  What  was  his  adventure  in  this  region  ? 

"With  several  of  his  companions,  Odysseus  en- 


RETURN  OF  THE  HEROES  FHOM  TROY.   219 

tered  a  cave  in  which  were  stored  up  large  sup- 
plies of  milk  and  cheese  ;  but  before  they  could 
make  their  escape,  the  Cyclops  Polyphemus,  son 
of  Poseidon,  entered  and  shut  the  entrance  with 
a  great  rock  which  they  could  not  move.  The 
fire  which  he  lit  showed  the  forms  of  Odysseus 
and  his  men,  two  of  whom  Polyphemus  cooked 
and  devoured.  After  some  more  had  been  thus 
eaten,  Odysseus  and  his  men  blinded  the  Cy- 
clops by  thrusting  a  burning  fir-pole  into  his 
eye  ;  and  then  tying  his  men  under  the  rams  of 
the  Cyclops,  he  made  his  escape  with  them 
when  Polyphemus  opened  the  door  of  the  cave.1 

629.  How  did  he  escape  the  other  giants  ? 

When  Polyphemus  asked  his  name,  Odysseus 
told  him  that  it  was  Outis,  or  Nobody.  Hence 
when  the  other  Cyclopes  came  to  ask  Polyphe- 
mus why  he  roared  so  loud,  he  told  them  that 
Nobody  was  doing  him  harm,  and  they,  think- 
ing that  there  was  nothing  the  matter,  went 
away  to  their  own  homes. 

630.  What  was  his  next  adventure  ? 

Having  escaped  with  difficulty  from  the  can- 
nibal Lsestrygonians,  he  came  to  ^Eaea,  where 
the  lady  Kirke  (Circe)  turned  many  of  his  men 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Odysseus  and  Polyphemus." 


220  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

into  swine,  but  was  compelled  to  restore  them 
to  their  human   shape  by  Odysseus,  who  had 
received  from  Hermes  an  herb  which  made  the 
charms  of  Kirke  powerless.1 
631.  "Were  his  dangers  now  ended  ? 

No.  Kirke  warned  him  against  greater  perils 
from  the  Seirens,  who  sate  in  their  cool  green 
caves,  enticing  the  passing  mariners  to  come 
and  rest  and  forget  all  their  toil  and  trouble.2 
They  who  yielded  to  the  spell  of  their  sweet 
music  were  dashed  to  pieces  on  the  rocks.  Odys- 
seus therefore  stuffed  his  sailors'  ears  with  wax, 
but  as  he  wished  to  hear  their  song,  he  had 
himself  bound  tightly  to  the  mast ;  and  thus 
he  was  carried  safely  past  the  danger,  although 
he  struggled  hard  to  get  free,  as  the  echoes  of 
their  lulling  music  rose  softly  through  the  hot 
and  breathless  air.  After  this  he  lost  many 
men,  who  were  devoured  by  the  two  monsters 
Skylla  (Scylla)  and  Charybdis,  who  sucked  them 
down  in  their  horrid  whirlpools.  The  rest  were 
lost  in  a  storm  after  they  had  slain  some  of  the 
cattle  of  Helios,  whom  Phaethusa  and  Lampe- 
tie,  the  bright  and  glistening  daughters  of  the 
early  Morning,  tended  in  Thrinakia  ;3  and  Odys- 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "  Odysseus  and  Kirke." 
2  Ibid.  "  Odysseus  and  the  Seirens.1'    3  Ibid.    "  The  Cattle  of  Helios." 


RETURN  OF  THE  HEROES  FROM  TROY.   221 

sens,  after  tossing  about  for  hours  on  the 
heaving  sea,  was  thrown  half  dead  on  the 
shore  of  Ogygia.  Here  the  beautiful  Calypso1 
tended  him  lovingly  in  her  cave,  and  kept  him 
there  seven  years,  although  he  longed  once 
again  to  be  at  home.  At  length  Hermes  com- 
manded her  to  let  him  go,  and  she  then  helped 
him  to  build  a  raft  which  carried  him  some  way 
across  the  sea  ;  but  another  storm  washed  him 
off,  and  he  was  thrown  bleeding  and  senseless 
on  the  shore  of  Phseakia. 

633.  What  next  happened  to  him  ? 

On  coming  to  himself  he  heard  the  merry 
voices  of  girls  who  were  playing  on  the  beach 
while  the  clothes  which  they  washed  were  dry- 
ing. They  were  maidens  who  had  come  with 
Nausicaa,  the  beautiful  daughter  of  king  Alki- 
noiis  and  his  wife  Arete.  Guided  by  her,  Odys- 
seus came  to  her  father's  palace,  which  stood 
in  a  glorious  garden  where  the  leaves  never 
faded  and  the  fruits  glistened  on  the  branches 
the  whole  year  round.  But  more  lovely  than 
all  was  Nausicaa  in  her  gentleness  and  purity.2 
Here  Odysseus  was  kindly  tended,  and  the  king 
offered  him  his  daughter  as  a  wife  ;  but  Odys- 

1  Tales  of  Ancient  Greece.    "Odysseus  and  Kalypso." 
2  Ibid.     "  Odysseus  and  Nausika." 


222  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

sens  had  only  one  longing,  which  was  once 
more  to  see  Penelope  after  his  long  absence  of 
twenty  years,  and  so  he  was  brought  in  a  Phsea- 
kian  ship  to  the  shore  of  Ithaca,  where  he  landed 
alone  and  in  disguise. 

633.  In  what  state  did  he  find  his  home  ? 

He  learned  from  his  swineherd  Eumseus  that 
his  father  Laertes  was  living  in  squalid  misery ; 
that  a  crowd  of  chiefs  who  came  as  suitors  to 
Penelope  had  taken  up  their  abode  in  his  house, 
where  some  of  his  servants  were  in  league  with 
them  to  devour  his  substance ;  and  that  Pe- 
nelope, having  promised  to  give  them  an  an- 
swer when  her  web  was  finished,  put  them  off 
continually  by  undoing  at  night  that  portion  of 
the  web  which  she  had  woven  during  the  day. 

634.  How  did  Odysseus  act  ? 

He  entered  his  own  hall  disguised  as  a  beggar, 
and  when  provoked  by  some  of  the  suitors,  he 
challenged  them  to  stretch  a  bow  which  hung 
upon  the  wall.  This  was  the  bow  of  Odysseus, 
which  he  alone  was  able  to. stretch.  Thus  they 
strove  in  vain  to  bend  it,  but  when  the  beggar 
put  forth  his  hand  to  seize  it,  the  thunder  of 
Zeus  was  heard  in  the  heaven,  and  the  suitors 
began  to  fall  beneath  the  unerring  arrows  ;  but 
Telemachus  had  left  the  chamber-door  ajar,  and 


RETURN  OF  THE  HEROES  FROM  TROY.   223 

many  of  the  chiefs,  seizing  the  weapons  which 
they  found  there,  pressed  hard  upon  Odysseus. 
Odysseus  himself  they  could  not  hurt,  but  Te- 
lemachus  was  wounded,  though  not  mortally 
like  Patroclos.  At  this  crisis  Athena  came  to 
his  aid,  and  scared  them  with  her  dazzling 
JEgis.  The  corpses  of  the  suitors  were  thrust 
away  like  refuse ;  but  on  the  body  of  Melan- 
thios,  the  son  of  Dolios,  Odysseus  wreaked  his 
full  rage,  as  Achilles  trampled  on  the  body  of 
Hector.  Lastly,  he  summoned  all  the  women 
who  had  abetted  the  suitors,  and  hung  them 
up  on  a  beam  across  his  great  hall.  He  was 
then  united  again  with  Penelope,  for  whom  he 
had  made  the  beautiful  bridal  chamber  long 
years  ago,  and  here  he  rested  after  the  great 
slaughter. 

635.  What  other  story  does  this  tale  closely  resemble  ? 
It  is  the  counterpart  of  the  vengeance  of 

Achilleus.  In  both  an  excessive  revenge  is 
taken  for  a  comparatively  slight  wrong.  In- 
deed, in  the  case  of  Odysseus,  the  wrong  was 
confined  to  the  intrusion  of  the  suitors  into  his 
house. 

636.  Is  the  character  of  Odysseus  true  to  that  of  the 
Achaians,  or  historical  Greeks  ? 

We  have  no  evidence  whatever  for  thinking 


224  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

that  it  was.  It  may  be  more  justly  called  not 
only  not  Achaian,  but  inhuman.  Odysseus  uses 
poisoned  arrows,  he  shoots  a  man  behind  his 
back  and  without  warning,  he  tells  lies  when- 
ever it  suits  his  purpose  to  do  so,  he  slays  a 
whole  band  of  chieftains  who  had  done  him  no 
great  injury,  and  then  hangs  up  "  like  sparrows 
on  a  string"  a  crowd  of  women,  simply  because 
they  had  not  resisted  the  demands  of  the 
suitors. 

637.  What  have  we  to  learn  from  this  ? 

That  only  mischief  can  follow  if  we  will  insist 
on  regarding  as  a  human  model  a  being  whose 
story  has  grown  up  from  the  phrases  which  lie 
at  the  root  of  the  story  of  Achilles. 

638.  Is  the  parallel  between  the  two  stories  a  close  one? 

It  may  be  traced  down  to  the  minutest  par- 
ticulars. Both  have  weapons  which  they  alone 
can  wield,  both  are  aided  by  Athena,  both  have 
in  Patroclos  and  Telemachus  a  faint  reflection 
of  their  own  strength,  both  make  a  vow  to  ex- 
act a  deadly  vengeance,  both  trample  on  and 
disfigure  their  slaughtered  enemy ;  both  are 
nearly  overpowered  at  one  part  of  the  struggle, 
and  both  have  a  time  of  quietness  and  rest  after 
the  fearful  conflict. 

639.  Who  is  Penelope,  and  what  is  her  web  ? 


RETURN  OF  THE  HEROES  FROM  TROY.   225 

Penelope  is  the  weaver,  like  Helios  in  the 
story  of  Medea  ;  but  her  web,  although  often 
begun,  cannot  be  finished  until  Odysseus  re- 
turns, because  the  web  of  morning  clouds  re- 
appears only  at  sundown. 

640.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  name  Odysseus  ? 
When  his  old  nurse  Eurycleia  recognizes  him 

in  the  bath  by  the  mark  left  on  his  leg  by  the 
bite  of  a  boar  in  his  early  youth,  she  tells  him 
that  he  received  his  name  Odysseus  to  express 
the  hatred  generally  felt  for  his  grandfather 
Autolycus. 

641.  Is  this  interpretation  correct  ? 

The  name  may  possibly  be  connected  with  a 
Greek  verb  (odussomai)  meaning  to  be  angry ; 
but  the  way  of  accounting  for  it  is  worth  noth- 
ing. The  names  explain  themselves.  Eury- 
cleia, like  Euryanassa,  Europa,  and  many 
others,  is  simply  a  name  for  the  dawn,  who  is 
the  nurse  of  the  sun ;  and  the  boar's  wound  is 
repeated  exactly  in  the  story  of  Adonis.  The 
name  Autolycus,  again,  like  that  of  Lycaon, 
denotes  simply  light,  while  Odysseus  is  the  an- 
gry sun,  who  hides  himself  behind  the  thick 
clouds.  Thus  disguised,  he  approaches  his 
home,  the  darkness  being  greatest  just  before 
the  beginning  of  the  last  strife. 

15 


226  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

642.  Do  any  other  names  in  the  story  explain  them- 
selves ? 

Many,  if  not  most  of  them  do.  Thus  Odys- 
seus has  a  dog  Argus  (the  white  or  shining), 
the  same  hound,  in  fact,  which  appears  by  the 
side  of  Artemis  in  the  legend  of  Procris.  The 
servants  who  aid  the  suitors  have  such  names 
as  Melanthius  and  Melantho,  the  black,  the  chil- 
dren of  Dolios,  the  treacherous  darkness  ;  and 
the  name  of  Telemachus,  like  those  of  Telephos 
and  Telephassa,  represents  the  far-shooting 
light  of  Phoebus  Hecaergos. 

643.  What  do  we    learn   generally  from  such  resem- 
blances ? 

That  the  phrases  which  described  the  infi- 
nitely various  aspects  of  the  outer  world  fur- 
nished inexhaustible  materials  for  legends  which 
could  be  expanded  into  splendid  epic  poems. 
The  Homeric  poets  worked  with  marvellous 
success  on  these  materials,  which  also  furnished 
the  frame-work  for  the  great  epic  poems  of 
other  countries, — this  fact  being  proved  by  the 
astonishing  coincidences,  in  minute  incidents  as 
well  as  in  names  and  characters,  between  the 
Iliad  and  Odyssey,  the  Lay  of  the  Nibelungs, 
and  the  Persian  epic  of  Firdusi. 

644.  Are  any  historical  facts  mixed  up  with  these  tales 
of  Paris,  Helen,  Achilles,  and  Odysseus  ? 


RETURN  OF  THE  HEROES  FROM  TROY.   227 

We  are  not  justified  in  thinking  so.  We 
know  that  most  of  the  incidents  belonging  to 
these  stories  never  could  have  taken  place  :  we 
know  that  Aphrodite  and  Athena  never  mingled 
in  battles  with  mortal  men,  and  that  the  armor 
of  no  Achaian  chief  was  ever  forged  on  the  an- 
vil of  Hephaestus.  We  may,  if  we  please,  strike 
out  all  the  marvellous  events  in  the  story,  and 
make  up  the  account  of  a  war  without  Thetis 
and  Helen,  or  Sarpedon  and  Memnon,  or  Xan- 
thos  and  Balios  :  we  shall  then  have  (as  in  the 
preface  of  Thucydides)  the  account  of  something 
which  may  have  taken  place,  but  which  we  have 
no  warrant  whatever  for  regarding  as  historical 
fact.  The  names  and  incidents  of  the  myth 
belong  to  the  beautiful  cloud-land 

Where  Ilion,  like  a  mist,  rose  into  towers,1 

and  it  is  labor  lost  to  search  in  Europe  or  Asia 
for  the  Phoenicia,  Ortygia,  Lycia,  Phseakia,  De- 
los,  Thrinakia,  Arcadia,  and  Ethiopia  where 
Helios  journeys  in  storm  and  calm,  in  splendor 
or  in  gloom,  along  the  blue  seas  of  heaven. 

1  Tennyson's  Tithonus. 


PAN. 


INHABITANTS  OF  THE  GREEK  MYTHICAL 
WORLD. 

645.  Do  the  names  already  mentioned  complete  the  list 
of  beings  noticed  in  the  mythology  of  the  Greeks  ? 

No.  In  addition  to  the  Olympian  gods  and 
the  dynastic  heroes  of  the  Greek  cities,  there 
are  very  many  names,  some  of  which  may  be 
classed  together,  but  which  cannot  be  said  to 
have  any  mythical  history.  Many  of  these  are 
simply  objects  in  the  natural  world,  regarded  as 
having  the  consciousness  of  human  beings. 

646.  Mention  some  beings  of  this  kind. 

The  Hamadryads,  nymphs  who  were  supposed 
to  live  and  die  with  the  trees  to  which  they 


GKEEK  MYTHICAL  PERSONAGES.  229 

were  attached ;  and  the  Oreads,  or  nymphs  of 
the  mountains. 

647.  Who  were  the  Hyades  ? 

Daughters  of  Atlas  and  JEthra,  who  is  also 
mother  of  Theseus.  They  wept  themselves  to 
death,  it  is  said,  and  form  a  cluster  of  stars 
which  betoken  rain. 

648.  Who  were  the  Heliades? 

Daughters  of  Helios,  who  wept  tears  of  amber 
on  the  death  of  their  brother  Phaethon. 

649.  Who  were  the  Gigantes,  or  giants  ? 

In  the  Homeric  poems,  they  are  the  Cyclopes 
who  dwell  in  Thrinakia  ;  in  Hesiod,  they  are  be- 
ings produced  by  the  blood  of  Ouranos  (heaven) 
falling  on  Ge  (the  earth).  They  answer  to  the 
Trolls,  or  frost  giants  of  northern  mythology. 

650.  Who  were  the  Aloadse  ? 

Two  giants,  named  Otos  and  Ephialtes,  sons 
of  Poseidon,  were  so  called  (from  olbe,  a  thresh- 
ing-floor), as  possessing  the  strength  of  mill- 
stones. 

651.  What  were  the  Moliones  ? 

This  name,  meaning  the  Grinders,  was  given 
to  Eurytus  and  Actor,  sons  of  Poseidon.  In 
character,  they  answer  to  the  Thor  Miolnir  of 
Norse  mythology. 


230  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

652.  Who  was  Boreas  ? 

The  son  of  Astraeus  and  Eos,  commonly  known 
as  the  god  of  the  north  wind.  His  wife  was 
Oreithyia,  daughter  of  Erechtheus  and  sister  of 
Procris. 

653.  What  was  Erebus  ? 

The  offspring  of  Chaos,  who  dwelt  in  the 
gloomy  space  through  which  the  souls  passed 
to  Hades. 

654.  WhoisEnyo? 

In  the  theogony  of  Hesiod,  she  is  one  of  the 
Graiee.  By  others  she  is  described  as  a  goddess 
who  accompanies  Ares  and  delights  in  havoc 
and  bloodshed.  Ares  himself  is  sometimes 
called  Enyalios. 

655.  Who  were  the  Harpies  ? 

The  storm  winds,  described  in  Hesiod  as  the 
beautiful  daughters  of  Thaumas  and  Electra, 
but  represented  as  loathsome  beings  in  Virgil. 

656.  Who  are  the  Muses  ? 

Goddesses  of  music,  poetry,  art,  and  science. 
They  seem  at  first  to  have  been  three  in  number, 
and  afterward  to  have  been  increased  to  nine. 
They  were  also  called  Pierides,  from  Pieria,  near 
Olympus;  but  another  legend  says,  that  the 
Pierides  were  daughters  of  Pieros,  king  of  Ema- 


GREEK  MYTHICAL  PERSONAGES.      231 

thia,  who  entering  into  a  contest  with  the  Muses, 
were  beaten  by  them  and  changed  into  birds. 
The  names  of  the  nine  Muses  are,  Cleio  (the  pro- 
daimer),  Euterpe  (the  charmer),  Erato  (the  lovely), 
Thaleia  (the  joyous),  Melpomene  (the  singer), 
Terpsichore  (the  enjoy er  of  dances),  Polymnia 
'(the  lover  of  songs),  Urania  (the  heavenly),  and 
Calliope  (the  beautiful  voiced). 

657.  Who  was  Orion  ? 

A  great  hunter,  loved  by  Artemis  and  Eos, 
and  placed  after  his  death  among  the  stars. 

658.  What  is  Pallas? 

A  name  given  to  Athena,  probably  as  being 
the  virgin  goddess. 

659.  Who  was  Pan? 

A  deity  who  presided  over  flocks  and  herds, 
said  by  some  to  be  a  son  of  Hermes,  born  in 
Arcadia.  He  is  represented  with  the  head  and 
breast  of  a  man,  and  the  lower  parts  of  a  goat. 
He  is  said  to  have  journeyed  through  India  with 
Dionysus,  and,  being  once  surrounded  by  en- 
emies, to  have  been  rescued  by  the  shoutings  of 
his  men,  who  thus  scared  them  away.  Hence 
the  word  panic  to  denote  any  sudden  and  vague 
terror.  The  name  Pan  is  akin  to  the  Sanskrit 
word  for  wind,  Pavana,  and  probably  to  the 
Latin,  Favonius. 


232        MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

660.  Who  are  the  Pleiades? 

Seven  daughters  of  Atlas  and  JEthra  who  wept 
themselves  to  death  for  the  loss  of  their  sisters, 
the  Hyades. 

661.  Who  was  Eros  ? 

The  god  of  love.  In  Hesiod,  he  is  one  of  the 
primitive  powers,  along  with  Chaos,  Gaia,  and 
Tartarus.  Later  poets  call  him  a  son  of  Hermes, 
or  of  Ares,  and  of  Artemis  or  Aphrodite. 

662.  Who  was  Proteus  ? 

In  the  Odyssey,  he  is  an  old  man  who  tends 
the  seals  of  Poseidon,  and  rises  at  midday  from 
the  sea  to  sleep  upon  the  shore.  He  had  the 
power  of  changing  himself  into  any  form,  like 
the  "  farmer  Weathersky"  of  the  Norse  tales. 

663.  Who  was  Priapus  ? 

He  is  called  a  son  of  Dionysus  and  Aphrodite, 
and  was  worshipped  as  the  cause  of  fertility  to 
fruits  and  flocks. 

664.  What  was  Psyche  ? 

The  word  denotes  the  breath  of  living  things ; 
but,  in  the  story  of  Eros  and  Psyche,  she  is  a 
maiden  who  thinks  that  she  is  married  to  a 
monster,  and  who,  taking  a  lamp  to  look  at  him, 
finds  that  he  is  beautiful,  but  a  drop"  of  oil  falling 
from  the  lamp  awakens  Eros,  who  vanishes 


GREEK  MYTHICAL  PERSONAGES.  233 

away.  After  years  of  sorrow  and  trouble  Psyche 
is  united  to  him  again.  The  story  is  in  part  the 
same  as  that  of  Beauty  and  the  Beast,  and 
many  other  forms  of  it  are  given  in  Grimm's 
Household  Tales. 

665.  Who  was  Zagreos  ? 

Zagreos  seems  to  be  a  name  for  Dionysus. 
He  is  described  as  the  horned  child  of  Zeus  and 
Persephone. 

666.  Who  was  Hesperus? 

The  god  of  the  western  heaven  and  father  of 
the  Hesperides,  who,  with  the  dragon  Ladon, 
guarded  the  golden  apples  of  Hera. 

667.  Who  were  Castor  and  Polydeukes  ? 

They  are  called  the  two  Dioscuri,  or  sons  of 
Zeus.  In  the  Iliad  and  Odyssey  they  are  bro- 
thers of  Helen ;  but  many  other  accounts  are 
given  of  their  parentage.  By  the  Latins  Poly- 
deukes was  called  Pollux. 

668.  Who  were  the  Cabeiri  ? 

Mystic  deities,  said  by  some  to  be  children  of 
Hephaestus  and  Cabeira,  daughter  of  Proteus. 

669.  Who  were  the  Corybantes  and  Dactyli  ? 

Beings,  seemingly,  of  the  same  kind  as  the 
Cabeiri.  The  Corybantes  are  spoken  of  as  sons 


234  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

of  Apollo.    The  Phrygian  priests  of  Cybele  were 
called  Dactyli. 

670.  Who  was  Cybele,  or  Kybele  ? 

She  is  supposed  to  have  been  originally  the 
Phrygian  goddess  of  the  earth.  The  Greeks 
identified  her  with  Khea,  and  the  Latins  with 
Ops. 

671.  Who  was  Hebe  ? 

The  goddess  of  youth,  answering  to  the  Latin 
Juventas. 

672.  Who  was  Hymen? 

A  Greek  god  of  marriage,  by  some  called  a 
son  of  Apollo. 

673.  Who  was  Iris  ? 

In  the  Homeric  mythology  Iris  is,  like  Hermes, 
a  messenger  of  the  gods.  In  Hesiod  she  is  a 
sister  of  the  Harpies.  According  to  others,  she 
was  the  wife  of  Zephyrus  (the  west  wind),  and 
mother  of  Eos  (the  morning). 

674.  Who  was  Morpheus  ? 

The  shaper  of  dreams.  He  is  called  a  son  of 
Hupnos,  sleep. 

675.  Who  was  Ganymedes  ? 

He  is  described,  in  the  Homeric  mythology, 
as  a  beautiful  Trojan  youth,  who  was  taken  to 
be  the  cupbearer  of  Zeus  on  Olympus. 


GKEEK  MYTHICAL  PERSONAGES.  235 

676.  Who  was  Laocoon  ? 

A  priest  of  Apollo,  who  tried  to  dissuade  the 
Trojans  from  admitting  the  wooden  horse  within 
the  walls  of  Troy.  Athena  therefore  sent  two 
serpents  who  crushed  him  and  his  sons  within 
their  monstrous  folds. 

677.  Who  was  Silenus  ? 

An  attendant  of  Dionysus,  and  leader  of  the 
Satyrs,  beings  who,  like  Pan,  are  represented  as 
having  human  heads,  arms,  and  breasts,  with  the 
lower  parts  of  goats. 

678.  Who  was  Charon  ? 

The  ferryman  who  conducted  the  souls  of  the 
dead  across  the  Stygian  lake  to  the  judgment- 
seat  of  Minos,  Ehadamanthus,  and  ^Eacus.  He 
is  called  a  son  of  Erebus. 

679.  Name  the  rivers  of  Hades. 

Acheron,  Kokutos  (Cocytus),  Styx,  Phlege- 
thon  or  Pyriphlegethon,  and  Lethe. 

680.  What  is  the  meaning  of  these  names  ? 

Acheron  (like  Achelous,  Axius,  Axe,  Exe,  Usk, 
and  very  many  others)  means  only  water.  Koku- 
tos is  the  river  of  groans  and  tears ;  Styx  is  the 
hateful  stream  ;  Phlegethon  or  Pyriphlegethon 
the  river  of  fire ;  and  Lethe  belongs,  like  Leto, 


236  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

and  Leda  the  mother  of  the  Dioscuri,  to  the 
land  of  Latmos,  or  forgetfulness  and  death. 

681.  Who  was  Kekrops  or  Cecrops  ? 

The  mythical  founder  of  Athens,  who  is  de- 
scribed as  an  autochthon,  or  indigenous  hero, 
the  upper  part  of  his  body  being  human,  and 
the  lower  parts  those  of  a  dragon.  Herse,  the 
deiv,  is  assigned  to  him  as  a  daughter.  He  is, 
in  short,  the  counterpart  of  Erechtheus.  The 
fancies  of  a  comparatively  late  age  brought  him 
from  Sais  in  Egypt ;  but  there  is  nothing  in  the 
Greek  mythology  which  points  to  any  connec- 
tion with  that  country  during  the  mythopoeic 
(or  myth-making)  ages. 


LATIN  MYTHOLOGY. 

682.  Does  the  mythology  of  the  Latins  and  Romans  cor- 
respond to  that  of  the  Greeks  ? 

The  so-called  Latin  mythology  of  the  age  of 
Virgil  and  Horace  is  a  mere  copy  of  the  Greek, 
and,  therefore,  can  scarcely  be  regarded  as 
Latin  at  all. 

683.  Was  there,  then,  a  Latin  mythology  which  was  not 
borrowed  in  this  way  ? 

Yes.  Before  the  Latin  tribes  had  any  inter- 
course with  the  Greeks,  they  had  their  own  dei- 
ties and  supernatural  beings,  whose  character 
attests  the  worship  of  a  people  employed  chiefly 
in  tilling  the  earth.  .  These  deities  had  their 
names,  with  certain  qualities  or  dispositions 
attached  to  them  ;  but  few  or  no  stories  were 
told  about  them,  and  hence,  when  they  were 
thrown  with  Greek  settlers,  they  were  tempted 
first  to  identify  the  Latin  gods  with  those  of 
the  Greeks,  and  then  to  transfer  to  the  Latin 
deities  all  the  legends  which  the  Greeks  re- 
lated of  their  own  mythical  beings. 

684.  In  so  doing  did  they  introduce  any  new  features  ? 
Very  rarely.     They  were  generally  content 


238  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

with  assigning  all  the  Greek  legends  to  Latin 
gods,  with  which,  in  most  cases,  they  had  neither 
names  nor  qualities  in  common ;  and  thus  the 
stories  told  of  Hermes  were  related  also  of  Mer- 
cury. But  in  one  or  two  instances  the  char- 
acter of  the  Greek  deity  is  altered  for  the  worse. 
Thus,  as  the  lovely  Saranyu,  or  dawn,  of  India, 
became  the  dark  and  stern  Erinys  of  the  Greeks, 
so  the  Harpies,  who  in  the  Hesiodic  poems  are 
the  beautiful  daughters  of  Thaumas  and  Elec- 
tra,  are  in  Virgil  foul  birds  of  prey. 


JUPITER. 

685.  What  is  Jupiter? 

This  name,  which  corresponds  exactly  to  the 
Zeus-pater  of  the  Greek  and  the  Dyaus-pitar  of 
the  Hindu,  denotes  the  Supreme  God ;  but  with 
the  earlier  Latins  no  mythical  tales  were  at- 
tached to  it,  as  in  the  Greek  mythology. 

686.  Did  tlie  word  still  retain  with  them  its  original 
meaning  of  heaven,  or  sky  ? 

Yes :  they  spoke  of  being  "  under  the  cool, 
or  clear  Jove  ;"  and  his  Oscan  name  Lucerius, 
or  Lucesius  (akin  to  Lykegenes,  as  a  name  for 
Phoebus),  points  to  the  bright  shining  firma- 
ment. 


NEPTUNE.  239 

687.  Had  Jupiter,  then,  many  names  ? 

He  was  invoked  under  different  epithets,  ac- 
cording to  the  matter  for  which  his  aid  was 
needed.  Thus,  as  calling  down  lightning,  he 
was  Jupiter  Elicius;  as  giving  rain,  Jupiter 
Pluvius  ;  as  protecting  boundaries,  Jupiter  Ter- 
minus, the  Zeus  Horios  of  the  Greeks. 

688.  Who  was  the  wife  of  Jupiter  ? 

She  is  called  Juno,  a  name  which  would  an- 
swer to  a  Greek  form  Zenon,  as  a  feminine. 

689.  Are  there  any  Latin  stories  about  Juno? 

No.  Those  which  are  told  of  her  by  later 
poets  were  borrowed  from  the  Greek. 

690.  How  was  Juno  addressed  ? 

Like  Jupiter,  by  many  names.  Thus,  as  queen 
of  heaven,  she  was  Juno  Kegina ;  as  presiding 
over  marriage,  Juno  Jugalis ;  and  as  guarding 
money  and  treasure,  Juno  Moneta,  a  name  which 
probably  comes  from  the  same  root  with  Mi- 
nerva. 


NEPTUNE. 

691.  Who  was  Neptune  ? 

The  later  Komans  identified  him  with   the 
Greek  Poseidon,  but  in  character  he  answers 


240  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

more  nearly  to  Nereus.  He  is  the  god  who 
dwells  on  the  waters,  and  his  name  is  connected 
with  many  words  which  mean  to  bathe,  or  sivim. 


PLUTO. 

692.  What  is  Pluto  ? 

A  Greek  name  for  Hades,  as  the  guardian  of 
the  hidden  treasures  of  the  earth.  Another 
name  given  to  him  by  the  Latins  was  Dis,  which 
was  regarded  as  a  shortened  form  of  Dives, 
rich  ;  but  this  name  is  probably  connected  with 
Deus,  Divus,  the  Greek  Theos,  and  the  Indian 
Dyaus.  The  name  of  his  wife,  Proserpina,  is 
only  another  form  of  the  Greek  Persephone. 


YESTA. 

693.  Who  is  Vesta  ? 

A  deity  who,  in  name  as  well  as  in  charac- 
ter, answers  precisely  to  the  Greek  Hestia.  This 
goddess  is  probably  part  of  the  common  in- 
heritance brought  by  the  ancestors  of  the  Greek 
and  Latin  tribes  from  the  home  where  they  had 
once  dwelt  together.  Vesta  with  the  Eomans 
was  a  goddess  of  far  greater  importance  than 


CERES  AND   MINERVA.  241 

Hestia  among  the  Greeks,  her  fire  being  kept 
up  by  the  Vestal  virgins,  who  were  consecrated 
to  her  service. 


CERES. 

694.  What  is  Ceres  ? 

A  name  applied  to  the  Earth,  as  the  producer 
of  fruits.  Hence  she  was  identified  with  the 
Greek  Demeter.  The  word  has  been  regarded 
by  some  as  meaning  the  maker ;  others  see  in 
it  only  another  form  of  the  Greek  Cora,  or  Kore 
(the  maiden),  a  name  of  Persephone.  It  is  prob- 
ably derived  from  the  same  root  which  yields 
the  Sanskrit  sarad,  autumn  (viz.  sri,  or  sri,  to 
cook,  to  ripen). 


MINERVA. 

G95.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  name  Minerva  ? 

Like  the  Latin  mem,  the  Greek  menos,  and 
the  English  mind,  it  denotes  tliouglit  or  wisdom  ; 
it  is  also  connected  with  the  Latin  Mane,  the 
morning,  and  Matuta,  the  dawn.  Hence  the 
idea  of  Minerva  is  far  higher  than  that  of  the 
Greek  Athena,  with  whom  she  was  identified. 

16 


242  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

696.  Is  the  germ  of  this  idea  found  in  any  other  mythol- 
ogy? 

Yes.  In  the  Yedic  hymns  the  dawn  is  spoken 
of  as  waking  every  mortal  to  walk  about,  and 
receiving  praise  from  every  thinker.  As  such, 
she  is  strictly  the  Moneta,  a  name  which  the 
Eomans  applied  to  Juno. 


MARS. 

697.  What  is  Mars? 

The  Latin  god  of  war ;  but  although  he  was 
identified  with  the  Greek  Ares,  and  although 
the  names  belong  to  the  same  root,  yet  the  idea 
of  the  Latin  Mars  is  far  the  higher  and  more 
dignified  of  the  two. 

698.  Are  there  any  other  forms  of  this  name  ? 

Yes.  By  the  Oscans  and  Sabines  he  was 
called  Mamers ;  and  the  Eoman  form  Mars  is  a 
contraction  of  Mavors  or  Mavers. 

699.  Are  any  legends  related  of  this  god  ? 

He  is  spoken  of  as  the  father  of  Eomulus  and 
Eemus,  the  mythical  founders  of  Eome. 

700.  What  were  Romulus  and  Remus  ? 

Twin  sons  of  the  vestal  Ilia;  but  the  two 
names  are  different  forms  of  the  same  word. 


VENUS.  243 

The  stories  about  these  brothers  agree  closely 
with  those  which  are  related  of  (Edipus,  Tele- 
phus,  and  other  heroes. 

701.  Is  there,  then,  nothing  historical  in  the  story  of 
Romulus  ? 

We  have  no  reason  for  thinking  otherwise. 
He  is  simply  the  Eponymus  of  Eome — in  other 
words,  a  being  invented  to  account  for  the  name 
of  a  city,  just  as  Pelasgus,  Lelex,  Sparta,  Or- 
chomenos,  and  a  host  of  others  were  invented  by 
the  Greeks.  Like  Heracles  and  other  heroes, 
he  vanishes  away  in  a  storm  of  thunder  and 
lightning;  and  thenceforth  he  is  said  to  have 
been  worshipped  under  the  name  Quirinus. 


VENUS. 

702.  What  is  Venus  ? 

The  Latin  goddess  of  beauty  and  love,  to 
whom  were  transferred  all  the  stories  told  of  the 
Greek  Aphrodite.  As  the  latter  was  said  to  be 
mother  of  ^Eneas,  the  ancestor  of  Eomulus,  so 
Yenus  was  supposed  to  be  the  special  protector 
of  the  Eoman  state. 

703.  What  is  the  origin  of  the  name  ? 

It  comes  from  a  root  which  signifies  favor  ; 


244  MANUAL  OF   MYTHOLOGY. 

and  is  found  in  the  Latin  word  venia,  grace  or 
pardon,  as  well  as  in  venerate  and  winsome. 


VULCAN. 

704.  What  is  Vulcan? 

The  Latin  god  of  fire,  who  was  identified  with 
the  Greek  Hephaestus.  Hence  he  is  called  the 
husband  of  Venus.  The  name  is  akin  to  the 
Sanskrit  ulka,  a  firebrand,  a  meteor. 


APOLLO. 

705.  Is  Apollo  or  Phoebus  Apollo  a  Latin  god  ? 
No.  The  name  is  borrowed  from  the  Greeks, 
and  all  that  is  related  of  him  is  Greek  also. 
Thus  the  name  of  his  mother  Latona  is  only  a 
Latin  form  of  the  Greek  Leto,  which  again  is 
only  another  form  of  the  name  of  Leda,  the 
mother  of  the  Dioscuri.  The  idea  of  the  god  of 
light  is  expressed  in  the  word  Lucerius,  or  Lu- 
cesius,  the  old  Oscan  name  for  Jupiter. 


DIANA  AND  JANUS. 

706.  What  is  Diana? 

The  feminine  form  of  the  name  Dianus,  or 


MEECUEY  AND  ^ESCULAriUS.  245 

Janus,  which,  again,  is  akin  to  Juno,  the  Greek 
Zeus,  and  the  Sanskrit  Dyaus,  the  sky.     She 
was  identified  with  the  Greek  Artemis,  and  is, 
therefore,  called  a  sister  of  Apollo. 
707.  What  is  Janus  or  Dianus  ? 

By  the  Eomans  he  was  represented  as  having 
two  faces,  which  looked  opposite  ways — a  notion 
which  arose  from  their  mistakenly  connecting 
the  word  with  dis,  duo  (tivo),  words  denoting 
division.  The  gate  of  Janus  at  Rome  was  kept 
open  in  time  of  war  and  shut  in  time  of  peace  ; 
and  it  is  said  to  have  been  closed  only  six  times 
in  eight  hundred  years. 


MERCURY. 

708.  Who  was  Mercury? 

A  Latin  god  of  traffic  and  gain,  from  merx, 
commerce.  He  was  identified  with  the  Greek 
Hermes,  to  whom  he  bears  no  resemblance  ;  and 
the  Roman  Fetials,  or  heralds,  refused  to  allow 
that  they  were  both  the  same  god. 


AESCULAPIUS. 


709.  Is  JEsculapius  a  Latin  god  ? 

No.     The   name,  which  is  another  form  of 


246         MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

Asklepios,  is,  with  the  character  and  mythical 
history  of  the  god,  imported  bodily  from  Greek 
mythology. 


BACCHUS. 

710.  Who  is  Bacchus  ? 

The  same  as  the  Greek  god  Dionysus,  who 
was  also  called  lacchos  or  Bacchus,  perhaps  (as 
some  have  thought)  from  the  cries  and  shouts 
with  which  he  was  worshipped. 


s, 


HERCULES. 

711.  Who  is  Hercules? 

As  a  Latin  god  he  seems  to  have  been  con- 
nected with  boundaries,  or  fences,  like  Jupiter 
Terminus,  the  Zeus  Horios  of  the  Greeks  ;  and 
as  such,  his  name  was  probably  Herclus  or  Her- 
culus.  But  the  similarity  of  the  name  led  the 
Romans  to  identify  their  Herculus  with  the 
Greek  Heracles.  They  were  further  strength- 
ened in  this  conclusion  by  the  fact  that  a  hero, 
named  Garanus,  or  Kecaranus,  was  said  to  have 
slain  a  great  robber  named  Cacus,  and  that  this 
hero  closely  resembled  not  only  Heracles,  but 


HERCULES.  247 

Perseus,  Tlieseus,  (Edipus,  and  all   other  de- 
stroyers of  monsters  and  evil-doers. 

712.  What  is  the  story  of  Cacus  ? 

It  is  told  in  many  ways ;  but  the  most  pop- 
ular version  says  that  when  Hercules  reached 
the  banks  of  the  Tiber,  Cacus,  the  three-headed 
son  of  Vulcan,  stole  some  of  his  cattle,  and,  to 
avoid  detection,  dragged  them  backward  into 
his  cave.  But  their  lowing  reached  the  ears  of 
Hercules,  who,  forcing  his  way  into  the  robber's 
den,  recovered  not  only  his  cattle,  but  all  the 
stolen  treasures  which  had  been  stored  within 
it.  In  vain  Cacus  vomited  forth  smoke  and 
flame  upon  his  enemy,  who  soon  slew  him  with 
his  unerring  darts. 

713.  Can  the  growth  of  this  story  be  accounted  for  ? 

It  is  only  another  form  of  the  many  tales 
which  recount  the  conflict  of  the  heaven  or  the 
sun  with  the  powers  of  night  and  darkness. 
Recaranus,  who  kills  the  monster,  is  like  San- 
cus,  whose  name  was  also  inscribed  on  the  Ara 
Maxima,  or  great  altar  of  Hercules,  simply  Ju- . 
piter, — so  called  as  being  the  maker  or  creator, 
the  name  Recaraims  being  thus,  as  some  have 
thought,  connected  with  that  of  Ceres. 

714.  What,  then,  is  Cacus? 


248  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

As  the  three-headed  monster,  he  answers  ex- 
actly to  the  Greek  Geryon  and  Kerberos  (Cer- 
berus), the  Indian  Sarvara.  As  stealing  the 
cows  of  Hercules,  he  is  Vritra,  who  shuts  up  the 
rain  in  the  thunder-cloud,  and  who.  is  pierced 
by  the  lance  of  Indra.  He  is  again  seen  in  the 
Panis  who  steals  the  cows  of  Indra.  The  flames 
which  he  sends  forth  from  his  cave  are  the 
lightnings  which  precede  that  down-pour  of  the 
rain  which  is  signified  by  the  recovery  of  the 
cows  from  Cacus. 

715.  What  is  the  origin  of  the  name  Cacus  ? 

By  some  it  has  been  connected  with  the  Greek 
word  kakos,  lad.  But  the  length  of  the  first 
syllable  is  against  this  notion.  Other  forms  of 
the  name  are  Kakias  and  Cseculus,  who,  in  the 
mythology  of  Prseneste,  a  town  near  Home,  was 
a  son  of  Yulcan,  and  also  a  flame-vomiting  rob- 
ber. Now  Aristotle  speaks  of  a  wind  called 
Kaikias  (Csecias)  which  has  the  power  of  at- 
tracting the  clouds,  and  cites  the  proverb  that 
men  draw  mischiefs  toward  themselves  as 
Kaikias  draws  the  clouds.  But  the  clouds  are 
everywhere  the  cattle  or  cows  of  Indra,  Helios, 
Phoebus,  and  Heracles :  hence  the  proverb 
would  become  a  tale  which  would  have  its  germ 
in  the  phrase  "  Caoculus  is  stealing  the  cows  of 


SATUEN.  249 

Hercules."  The  combat  which  follows  is  that 
struggle  of  Indra  with  Yritra  which  ends  with 
the  victory  of  the  powers  of  light. 


SATURN. 

716.  What  is  Saturn  ? 

A  Latin  god  who  has  been  identified  with  the 
Greek  Cronos,  with  whom  he  has  no  features  in 
common.  The  iian?e  denotes  cue  who  sows 
seed,  and  Saturn  thus  answers  more  nearly  to 
the  Greek  Triptolemus.  His  wife,  Ops,  a  god- 
dess of  wealth  or  fertility,  was,  with  no  better 
reason,  identified  with  Ehea.  As  Saturn  was 
said  to  have  vanished  from  the  earth  when  his 
work  was  done,  it  was  thought  that  the  land  of 
Latium  received  its  name  as  being  his  hiding- 
place. 

717.  What  is  the  origin  of  the  name  Latium  ? 

It  is  the  country  of  the  Latini  or  Xavini, 
whose  name  is  identified  by  Niebuhr  (in  his 
History  of  Eome)  with  that  of  the  Daunii  and 
the  Danai,  who  follow  Agamemnon  to  Troy. 


250  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

AURORA. 

718.  Who  was  Aurora  ? 

The  goddess  of  morning,  identified  with  the 
Greek  Eos,  the  wife  of  Tithonos. 

719.  Does  the  name  correspond  to  any  in  Eastern  my- 
thology ? 

It  is  connected  with  the  Sanskrit  Ushas,  a 
name  for  the  dawn,  from  a  root  which  is  com- 
mon to  the  Latin  aurum,  gold,  and  urere,  to 
burn. 


AVERNUS. 

720.  What  was  Avemus  ? 

This  name  was  given  to  an  Italian  lake  near 
Naples,  which  was  supposed  to  be  the  entrance 
to  the  infernal  regions.  The  Cumaean  Sibyl 
lived  in  a  cave  near  its  shores. 

721.  Is  the  name  a  Latin  one  ? 

No  ;  it  is  only  a  Latinized  form  of  the  Greek 
Aornos,  which  denotes  a  place  without  birds. 
It  was  thought  that  none  could  fly  over  it, 
owing  to  the  deadly  vapors  which  rose  from  its 
surface. 


POMONA 

LATIN  DEITIES  NOT  IDENTIFIED  WITH 
GREEK  GODS. 

722.  What  were  the  Lares  ? 

Domestic  deities.  They  seem  to  have  been 
regarded  as  the  souls  of  deceased  ancestors. 
There  were  Lares  not  only  of  families,  but  of 
the  city,  the  country,  the  roads. 

723.  Are  the  Lares  connected  with  any  other   Latin 
deities  ? 

They  form  part  of  the  class  known  as  Penates, 
or  household  gods,  whose  name  seems  to  be 
derived  from  penus,  a  store  of  food.  There  were 
public  as  well  as  private  Penates. 

724.  Are  the  Lares  known  under  any  other  name  ? 


252  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

They  are  commonly  addressed  as  the  Manes, 
a  general  name  for  the  spirits  of  the  dead. 
This  word  means  "  the  good  ones,"  and  recurs 
in  the  name  of  Mana,  an  Italian  goddess,  and 
in  the  word  immanis,  cruel. 

725.  Were  they  ever  described  in  any  other  way  ? 

Those  spirits  which  were  supposed  to  be  ca- 
pable of  injuring  the  living  were  called  Lemures. 
The  spectres  of  the  dead  generally  were  named 
Larvae. 

726.  Who  were  the  Palici  ? 

Twin  deities  worshipped  in  Sicily,  of  whom 
little  more  is  known  than  the  name,  which  may 
possibly  be  connected  with  that  of  Pales,  a  rural 
deity  worshipped  especially  by  shepherds. 

727.  What  were  the  Parcae  ? 

According  to  later  poets,  they  are  three  sis- 
ters who  were  identified  with  the  Greek  Moerae, 
Clotho,  Lachesis,  and  Atropos. 

728.  What  were  the  Fates  ? 

The  name  was  used  to  denote  the  Parcae. 
The  word  fatum,/afe,  means  a  thing  spoken,  and 
answers  to  the  Aisa  of  the  Greeks,  which  is  the 
spoken  word  of  Zeus,  i.  e.}  Necessity  or  Destiny. 

729.  What  were  the  Genii  ? 

Superhuman  beings,  whose  life,  according  to 


LATIN  DEITIES.  253 

the  belief  of  the  old  Italian  races,  ceased  with 
that  of  the  persons  whom  they  guarded. 

730.  Who.  were  the  Dii  Indigetes  ? 

The  Latin  title  for  those  mythical  heroes  of 
the  land  who  after  their  deaths  were  ranked 
among  the  gods. 

731.  What  were  the  Dii  Consentes  ? 

A  name  (denoting  agreement  or  harmony) 
which  in  later  times  was  supposed  to  denote  the 
twelve  Olympian  gods.  Originally  they  con- 
sisted of  six  male  and  six  female  deities,  whose 
names  cannot  be  determined  with  certainty. 

732.  Who  was  Bellona  ? 

The  Latin  goddess  of  war  (bellum). 

733.  Who  was  the  Bona  Dea,  or  good  goddess  ? 

She  is  described  as  a  sister  or  daughter  of 
Faunus,  worshipped  only  by  women.  She  is 
herself  called  Fauna ;  but  Fauna  and  Faunus 
mean  simply  the  favorer,  and  were  rural  deities 
of  the  old  Latins. 

734.  Who  were  the  Camense  ? 

Deities  whose  name,  in  the  form  Carmentes 
and  Carmenae,  connects  them  with  carmen,  a 
song.  Hence  they  were  identified  with  the 
Greek  muses. 

735.  WhowasEgeria? 


254  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

One  of  the  Camense,  who  is  said  to  have 
been  the  secret  counsellor  of  the  mythical  king 
Numa. 

736.  Who  was  Lavema  ? 

The  patron  goddess  of  thieves. 

737.  Who  were  Pilumnus,  Picumnus,  and  Semo  Sancus  ? 

Pilumnus  and  Picumnus  were  two  brothers, 
worshipped  as  rural  deities.  The  names  are 
mere  epithets,  Pilumnus  being  the  grinder  of 
corn,  and  Picumnus  the  tiller  of  the  earth. 
The  names  Semo  Sancus  are  sometimes  taken 
together  to  denote  the  same  deity.  They  are 
really  two,  Sancus  being  the  ratifier  of  oaths  or 
contracts,  and  Semo  the  sower  of  seed. 

738.  Who  was  Pomona? 

The  Latin  goddess  of  fruits  and  fruit-trees. 
She  is  said  to  have  been  loved  by  Silvanus,  a 
deity  of  the  woods,  by  Picus  (who,  like  Picum- 
nus, is  the  tiller  of  the  ground),  and  by  Vertum- 
nus,  the  god  of  the  changing  seasons. 

739.  Who  was  Anna  Perenna  ? 

The  giver  of  plenty  in  the  returning  seasons 
of  the  year.  She  was  identified  by  late  poets 
with  Anna,  the  sister  of  Dido,  the  mythical 
foundress  of  Carthage. 

740.  Who  was  Consus  ? 


LATIN  DEITIES.  255 

A  deity  of  whom  little  more  is  known  than 
that  the  festival  called  Consualia  was  celebrated 
in  his  honor.  The  name  may  be  connected  with 
that  of  the  Consentes  Dii. 

741.  "Who  are  Gradivus  and  Mulciber  ? 

Gradivus  is  a  name  of  Mars,  as  the  stricter, 
and  Mulciber  of  Vulcan,  as  softening  the  heated 
iron. 

742.  What  is  Favonius  ? 

A  name  for  the  west  or  southwest  wind, 
called  Zephyros  (the  Zephyr)  by  the  Greeks. 


OSIRIS. 


EGYPTIAN   MYTHOLOGY. 

743.  What  is  the  character  of  Egyptian  mythology  ? 
Some  of  the  Egyptian  myths  seem  to  have  a 

more  direct  reference  to  facts  of  astronomy  than 
may  be  found  generally  in  Greek  mythology ; 
but  there  is  no  doubt  that,  like  the  Greek 
myths,  those  of  the  Egyptians  had  their  founda- 
tion in  phrases  which  described  the  sights  and 
objects  of  the  outward  world. 

744.  Is  there  any  connection  between  the  Greek  and 
Egyptian  systems  of  mythology  ? 

They  grew  up  quite  independently  of  each 
other ;  and  the  mythology  of  the  Homeric  and 


EGYPTIAN  MYTHOLOGY.  257 

Hesiodic  poems  exhibits  no  traces  of  the  influ- 
ence of  Egyptian  thought.  But  after  Egypt  had 
been  thrown  open  to  Greek  commerce,  the 
Greeks  (like  the  first  English  who  studied  San- 
skrit in  India,)  were  so  impressed  with  the  gran- 
deur of  the  country  and  the  elaborate  mysticism 
of  the  priesthood,  that  they  were  tempted  not 
only  to  identify  their  own  deities  with  those  of 
Egypt,  but  to  fancy  that  their  names,  as  well  as 
the  actions  ascribed  to  them,  were  derived  from 
Egypt. 

745.  How  did  this  mystical  system  of  the  Egyptian  priests 
grow  up  ? 

It  was  grafted  in  the  process  of  ages  on  sim- 
pler myths,  which  corresponded  essentially  to 
the  phrases  which  lie  at  the  root  of  Hindu, 
Greek,  and  Teutonic  mythology.  Thus  the 
sleep  of  Osiris  during  the  winter,  before  his  re- 
appearance in  the  spring,  is  the  sleep  of  the  fair 
maiden  who  is  waked  up  by  Sigurd,  and  answers 
to  the  imprisonment  of  Kore  or  Persephone  in 
Hades. 

746.  Who  was  Ammon  ? 

The  god  so  called  by  the  Greeks  (who  con- 
nected the  name  with  the  sand,  ammos,  with 
which  his  temple  in  the  Oasis  was  surrounded), 
is  the  Egyptian  Amen-ra,  or  Kneph,  the  ram- 

17 


258  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

headed  and  horned  god,  who  reappears  in  the 
Orphic  Zagreos. 

747.  What  was  Anubis  ? 

A  being  represented  with  the  head  of  a  dog, 
or  jackal,  and  said  to  be  the  companion  of  Osiris 
and  Isis. 

748.  Who  were  Isis  and  Osiris  ? 

Isis  is  called  the  wife  of  Osiris  and  mother  of 
Horus,  and  seems  to  have  been  at  first  the  god- 
dess of  the  earth,  like  the  Greek  Demeter.  She 
was  represented  as  a  woman  with  the  horns  of 
a  cow.  Osiris,  her  husband  or  son  (for  he  is  re- 
garded as  both),  is  killed  by  his  brother  Set  or 
Sethi,  a  being  whose  character  answers  to  that 
of  the  Hindu  Vritra ;  but  after  his  imprisonment 
beneath  the  earth,  he  rises  to  a  new  life,  and 
becomes  the  judge  of  the  dead.  His  chief  sanc- 
tuary was  in  the  island  of  Philse. 

749.  Who  was  Horns  ? 

The  son  of  Isis,  represented  as  a  boy  sitting 
on  a  lotus-flower,  with  a  finger  in  his  mouth. 
His  name,  Har-pi-chruti,  Horus  the  child,  was 
thrown  into  the  form  of  Harpocrates  by  the 
Greeks. 

750.  What  was  Apis  ? 

The  calf-god,  who  was  supposed  to  manifest 


EGYPTIAN  MYTHOLOGY.  259 

himself  from  time  to  time  in  a  bull,  which  was 
recognized  by  certain  signs.  This  bull  was  then 
consecrated,  and  received  high  worship.  It  was 
not  suffered  to  live  more  than  twenty -five  years, 
and  his  burial  was  followed  by  a  general  mourn- 
ing, until  a  new  calf  with  the  proper  marks  was 
discovered.  This  god  the  Greeks  identified  with 
Epaphus,  the  child  of  lo. 

751.  What  was  Serapis  ? 

It  is  said  to  have  been  a  name  given  to  Apis 
after  his  death  and  deification. 

752.  What  was  Keith? 

.  A  deity  represented  as  covered  with  a  veil, 
and  identified  by  the  Greeks  (without  any  rea- 
son) with  their  goddess  Athena.  She  is  often 
associated  with  Phthah,  the  pygmy  god. 

753.  What  was  Ha  ? 

The  name  under  which  the  sun  was  wor- 
shipped by  the  Egyptians. 

754.  What  was  the  Phoenix  ? 

According  to  the  historian  Herodotus,  it  was 
a  bird  which  the  Egyptians  regarded  as  the 
emblem  of  immortality;  but  Herodotus  says 
nothing  of  the  resurrection  of  the  Phoenix  from 
its  own  ashes,  while  others,  instead  of  saying 
that  a  new  Phoenix  sprung  full-grown  from  the 


260  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 

funeral  pile  of  the  old  one,  spoke  of  a  worm 
which  came  out  from  the  dead  body,  and  grad- 
ually grew  into  another  Phoenix. 


ISIS  AND  HORUS. 


ASSYEIAJ*  MYTHOLOGY. 

755.  What  are  the  Assyrian  deities? 

Deities  whose  names  were,  for  the  most  part, 
at  first  mere  epithets  of  the  sun,  but  came  in 
course  of  time  to  denote  different  gods.  Thus 
the  sun  was  worshipped  as  Bel  or  Baal,  the 
Lord,  and  as  Moloch,  or  the  King,  these  names 
being  gradually  set  apart  for  separate  deities, 
just  as  Endyinion,  Hyperion,  Apollo,  Perseus, 
all  originally  mere  names  of  Helios  (the  sun), 
became  at  length  names  of  different  persons. 

756.  Where  was  the  sun  chiefly  worshipped  as  Baal  ? 

In  Babylon.  His  worship  was  also  intro- 
duced by  Ahab  into  the  kingdom  of  Israel. 

757.  What  people  were  most  widely  known  for  their  de- 
votion to  Moloch  ? 

The  Phoenicians,  who  appeased  him  with  the 
blood  of  infants,  especially  of  the  first-born. 
Carthage  was  noted  for  these  horrid  sacrifices ; 
five  hundred  children,  it  is  said,  were  placed  at 
once  in  the  fiery  jaws  of  the  idol,  when  the  Sici- 
lian Agathocles  was  about  to  attack  the  city. 

758.  Was  the  worship  of  Moloch  practised  by  the  Jews  ? 
Yes ;  with  great  persistency,  down  to  the  time 


262  ASSYRIAN  MYTHOLOGY. 

of  the  Babylonish  captivity.  The  prophets  con- 
stantly denounce  the  wrath  of  God  on  the  abom- 
inable human  sacrifices  which  were  offered  up 
in  the  valley  of  Hinnom,  to  the  east  of  Jerusalem. 

759.  Does  the  name  appear  in  any  other  form  ? 

Yes ;  in  Milcom,  the  Ammonite  god,  and  in 
the  names  of  Adrammelech  and  Anammelech, 
gods  of  Sepharvaim. 

760.  Who  was  Chemosh  ? 

The  god  of  the  Moabites.  The  name  is,  per- 
haps, only  another  form  of  the  Hebrew  She- 
mesh  and  the  Assyrian  Shamas,  the  sun. 

761.  What  was  Nebo  ? 

A  Babylonian  deity,  whose  name  is  found  in 
that  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  other  kings. 

762.  Who  was  Ishtar  ? 

A  goddess  resembling  most  nearly  the  Aphro- 
dite of  the  Greeks,  who  spoke  of  her  as  Astarte. 
In  the  Old  Testament  she  is  called  Ashtaroth. 

763.  Who  was  Tammuz  ? 

A  beautiful  youth,  known  also  as  Adonis,  the 
lord,  for  whose  death  the  women  mourned  in 
the  autumn-time.  The  same  idea  is  found  in 
the  mythical  tales  of  Osiris  and  Persephone. 

764.  Who  was  Xisuthrus  ? 

He  is  said  to  have  been  a  just  man,  who,  with 


MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY.  2G3 

other  righteous  men,  was  saved  in  an  ark  from 
a  great  flood  which  overwhelmed  the  whole  of 
Babylonia. 

765.  What  was  Cannes? 

The  fish-god  of  the  Babylonians.  This  being, 
who  was  represented  with  a  human  form  behind 
which  appeared  the  scaly  covering  of  a  fish, 
was  said  to  dwell  in  the  sea,  out  of  which  he 
came  every  day  to  teach  the  Babylonians  all 
wisdom  and  science.  By  the  Philistines  he  was 
worshipped  under  the  name  Dagon.  As  emerg- 
ing daily  from  the  sea,  and  as  possessed  of  a 
mysterious  wisdom,  he  is  manifestly  the  same 
as  the  Greek  Proteus. 


TBIMOURTI. 


THE  MYTHOLOGY  OF  THE 
VEDA. 

766.  For  what  reason  is  the  Yedic  or  earliest  Hindu  my- 
thology especially  valuable  ? 

As  furnishing  a  key  to  that  of  the  Persians, 
Greeks,  Latins,  Romans,  and  other  races.  Thus 
names  by  which  the  Greeks  denoted  different 
gods  and  heroes,  are  in  the  Vedas  mere  epithets 
the  meaning  of  which  cannot  be  mistaken ;  and 
the  most  complicated  legends  can  be  traced  to 
their  germ  in  some  phrase  which  in  these  most 
ancient  of  all  poems  described  simply  some  in- 
cident or  phenomenon  in  the  course  of  the  out- 
ward world. 


MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY.  265 

767.  Mention  some  instances  of  tl^is  process. 

In  the  Veda,  Arjuni,  Brisaya,  Dahana,  Uslias, 
Sarama,  and  Saranyu,  are  names  for  tho 
morning  light :  for  the  Greeks  they  were  sepa- 
rate beings  whom  they  knew  as  Argynnis,  Bri- 
seis,  Daphne,  Eos,  Helen,  and  Erinys.  In  the 
same  way  the  Vedas  spoke  of  the  Panis  as 
tempting  Sarama  to  be  unfaithful;  for  the 
Greeks,  this  phrase  had  grown  into  the  steal- 
ing away  of  Helen  by  Paris,  and  the  compli- 
cated legend  of  the  war  of  Troy. 

768.  Is  the  earlier  Hindu  mythology  to  be  distinguished 
from  that  of  later  times  ? 

Yes :  the  later  mythology  is  as  intricate  as 
the  earlier  is  simple;  but  the  way  in  which 
the  system  has  been  developed  in  India  throws 
the  clearest  light  on  the  same  process,  as  it  has 
gone  on  in  other  countries.  Thus,  in  the  oldest 
poems  there  are  no  genealogies  or  settled  mar- 
riages among  the  gods.  The  sister  in  one  le- 
gend is  the  wife  or  mother  in  another,  and  the 
same  being  is  spoken  of  at  different  times  as 
the  son  and  brother  of  the  same  god. 

769.  What  are  the  chief  deities  in  these  ancient  hymns  ? 

Perhaps  the  most  important  are  Varuna,  Ag- 
ni,  and  Indra. 

770.  What  is  Varuna  ? 


2G6  MYTHOLOGY  OF  THE  VEDA, 

The  broad  heaven  which  is  spread  over  and 
veils  the  earth.  But  many  of  the  hymns  ad- 
dressed to  Varuna  are  addressed  to  him  simply 
as  a  name  for  the  One  God  who  has  made  and 
who  governs  all  things. 

771.  Is  Varuna  found  in  Greek  mythology  ? 

Yes,  as  Ouranos  (Uranus) ;  but  as  in  Greece, 
Zeus  (the  Sanskrit  Dyaus)  became  the  name  for 
the  supreme  God,  Ouranos  lost  his  importance 
and  almost  faded  out  of  sight. 

772.  WhoisAgni? 

The  fire,  which,  when  the  fuel  is  kindled,  steps 
forth  like  a  war-horse  from  his  prison,  leaving 
a  dark  path  (of  smoke)  behind  him. 

773.  Is  Agni  found  in  Western  mythology  ? 

No ;  but  the  name  is  found  in  the  Latin  word 
ignis,  fire. 

774  Who  is  Indra  ? 

The  god  of  the  clear  heaven,  and  so  of  light, 
wrarmth,  and  fertilizing  rain, — so  named  from  a 
root  denoting  moisture,  and  thus  answering  to 
the  Jupiter  Pluvius  of  the  Latins. 

775.  How  is  he  chiefly  represented  ? 

As  doing  battle  with  Vritra,  the  enemy,  who 
by  shutting  up  the  rain  brings  drought  upon 
the  earth. 


MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY.  207 

776.  How  is  Yritra  described  ? 

As  a  great  dragon,  smitten  by  the  lance  of 
Indra,  as  Python  is  pierced  by  that  of  Apollo. 
As  such,  he  is  called  Ahi,  which  is  the  same  as 
the  Greek  Echidna,  and  the  Latin  word  anguis, 
a  snake. 

777.  What  other  forms  does  Vritra  assume  in  Western 
mythology  ? 

It  corresponds  exactly  to  the  Sphinx  in  the 
story  of  (Edipus,  to  the  Libyan  dragon  slain  by 
Perseus,  to  Fafnir  slain  by  Sigurd,  as  well  as  to 
the  many  monsters  slain  by  other  heroes. 

778.  Is  the  name  found  in  Greek  legends  ? 

Yes  ;  it  is  the  same  as  that  of  Orthros,  who 
with  Kerberos  (Cerberus),  the  Vedic  Sarvara, 
guards  the  gates  of  Hades,  who  answers  to  the 
Hindu  Yama. 

779.  What  are  the  Hants  ? 

In  the  Vedic  hymns  they  are  the  bright  horses 
of  the  sun  ;  in  the  "West  they  became  beautiful 
women,  called  by  the  Greeks  Charites,  by  the 
Latins  Gratis  or  Graces  (from  a  root  Ghar,  to 
sldne). 

780.  What  are  Trita  and  Traitana  ? 

Names  given  to  the  god  of  the  clear  heaven. 
They  reappear  in  the  Greek  Triton  and  Tri- 
togenia. 


268  MYTHOLOGY   OF  THE   VEDA. 

781.  What  are  the  Maruts  ? 

The  storm  winds,  whose  name  (from  mar,  to 
grind)  reappears  in  the  Greek  Ares,  the  Latin 
Mars,  and  Mors,  death,  and  in  the  Teutonic  Thor 
Miolnir,  or  the  crusher. 

782.  Who  are  the  Rlshis  ? 

Seven  wise  men  who  were  supposed  to  dwell 
in  the  seven  stars  of  the  constellation  which  we 
call  the  Great  Bear.  These  stars  were  called 
at  first  the  seven  Arkshas,  or  shiners ;  but  as 
the  word  Rishi  also  comes  from  the  same  root, 
the  two  were  confused  together,  just  as  in  Greece 
they  were  converted  into  bears — the  name  arc- 
toi,  bears,  belonging  to  the  same  root. 

783.  What  are  Bhuranyu  and  Pramantha  ? 

The  name  Bhuranyu  is  the  same  as  the  Greek 
Phoroneus,  while  Pramantha  answers  to  Pro- 
metheus. 

784.  What  is  Ushas  ? 

A  name  for  the  dawn,  which  reappears  in  the 
Greek  Eos  and  the  Latin  Aurora. 

785.  What  is  Arnsha  ? 

A  name  for  the  sun,  as  he  begins  his  course 
in  the  heaven.  As  such,  he  is  represented  as 
a  beautiful  child.  The  name  reappears  in  the 
Greek  Eros,  or  god  of  love,  who  answers  to  the 


MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY.  2G9 

Latin  Cupido  (Cupid).  But  Eros,  again,  is  a 
son  of  Iris  (another  form  of  the  same  name), 
who  is  called  the  messenger  of  the  gods  ;  just 
as  Arusha  is  said  to  awaken  the  earth  with  his 
rays.  These  rays  become  the  fiery  darts  of 
Eros  and  Cupid,  which  inflame  with  love  the 
hearts  that  may  be  pierced  by  them. 

786.  Who  is  Brahma  ? 

He  is  called  a  son  of  Bralim,  a  name  for  the 
Great  First  Cause1  of  all  things.  Brahma,  Vish- 
nu, and  Siva,  together  make  up  the  later  Tri- 
murti  or  Trinity ;  Brahma  being  the  creator, 
Vishnu  the  preserver,  and  Siva  the  destroyer. 

787.  Is  Siva  known  by  any  other  name? 

He  is  frequently  called  Mahadeva,  or  Maha- 
deo  (in  Greek,  Megas  Tlieos),  the  great  god,  and 
is  regarded  as  a  reproducer, — to  destroy,  ac- 
cording to  Indian  philosophy,  being  only  to  re- 
produce under  another  form. 

788.  What  are  the  Avatars  of  Vishnu  ? 

Incarnations  of  the  god  for  the  accomplish- 
ment of  a  special  purpose.  The  Avatars  are 
fixed  as  ten  in  number  ;  when  the  tenth  takes 
place,  the  world  will  be  destroyed,  and  Brahma 
will  again  begin  his  work  as  creator. 

789.  Who  is  Krishna  ? 


270  MYTHOLOGY  OF  THE  VEDA. 

A  being  produced,  according  to  some  legends, 
from  one  of  the  hairs  of  Vishnu,  and  in  his  turn 
producing  Eudra,  the  destroyer.  This  god  be- 
came of  much  greater  importance  in  the  later 
mythology  of  the  Hindus. 

790.  WhatisSavitar? 

A  name  for  the  sun,  as  golden-handed,  in  ref- 
erence to  his  rays.  When  the  name  was  taken 
literally,  the  story  grew  up  that  the  sun,  offer- 
ing up  a  sacrifice,  cut  off  his  hand,  which  was 
replaced  by  a  golden  one. 

791.  Who  is  Manu  ? 

A  wise  lawgiver,  and  the  son  of  Brahma.  He 
is  the  same  as  the  Greek  Minos  :  and  the  name 
comes  from  the  same  root  with  the  words  mind 
and  man  ;  man  being  so  called  as  the  measurer 
or  thinker. 


PEESIAW  MYTHOLOGY. 

792.  For  what  is  Persian  mythology  chiefly  remarkable  ? 

For  the  moral  or  spiritual  meaning  which  it 
engrafts  on  phrases  or  legends  which  had  refer- 
ence originally  only  to  physical  or  material  ob- 
jects. Thus  the  battle  between  Indra  and  Vri- 
tra,  which  in  India  was  a  conflict  between  the 
god  of  the  sun  or  heaven,  and  the  dragon  which 
was  supposed  to  shut  up  the  rain,  became  in 
Persia  the  spiritual  struggle  between  moral  good 
and  moral  evil ;  and  thus  a  phrase,  suggested 
by  a  very  common  sight  in  the  outward  world, 
became  the  foundation  of  a  philosophy  known 
as  Dualism  (in  other  words,  the  conflict  between 
two  gods,  one  good,  the  other  evil). 

793.  Were  the  old  names  retained  in  the  Persian  myths  ? 
In  many  instances  they  were.     Thus   Trita, 

or  Traitana,  becomes  the  Persian  Thraetena ; 
while  Verethragna,  or  the  slayer  of  Verethra,  the 
Feridiin  of  later  epic  poetry,  answers  to  the 
Vedic  Vritrahan,  or  slayer  of  Vritra.  Feridun 
again  is  the  slayer  of  Zohak  (a  name  which  was 
at  first  written  Azi-dahaka,  the  biting  serpent), 
or  Ahi,  which  again  carries  us  to  the  Greek 


272  PERSIAN  MYTHOLOGY. 

Ecliidna.  The  name  Zohak  reappears  in  that 
of  Astyages  (Asdahag),  the  Median  king,  who 
is  defeated  and  dethroned  by  his  grandson,  Cy- 
rus, as  Laios,  king  of  Thebes,  is  killed  by  his 
son  (Edipus. 

794.  Is  the  gerin  of  this  moral  idea  furnished  in  the  Ye- 
dic  hymns  ? 

Yes ;  in  the  prayer  which  the  worshippers 
sometimes  offer  np,  that  Vritra,  the  enemy,  may 
not  be  suffered  to  reign  over  them. 

795.  Was  this  battle  between  good  and  evil  denoted  by 
any  other  names  ? 

It  was  also  spoken  of  as  the  great  conflict  be- 
tween Ormuzd  and  Ahriman. 

796.  What  is  Ormuzd  ? 

The  name  of  the  good  god. 

797.  Is  this  a  Persian  word  ? 

No.  Nor  can  it  be  explained  by  the  Persian 
language  ;  but  in  the  Zendavesta,  the  name  is 
given  in  the  form  Ahuro-rnazdao,  thus  carry- 
ing us  to  the  Sanskrit  words  Asuro  medhas, 
which  mean  wise  spirit  Another  name  of  Or- 
niuzd  was  Spento-mainyus,  or  the  holy  spirit. 

798.  What  is  the  name  given  in  these  books  to  the  power 
which  opposes  Ahuro-mazdao  ? 

He  is  called  simply  Drukhs,  a  word  mean- 
ing deceit. 


MANUAL   OF  MYTHOLOGY.  273 

799.  What  then  is  the  name  Ahriman  ? 

It  is  a  name  which  signifies  an  evil  spirit,  and 
was  given  at  a  later  time  to  the  power  which 
had  been  known  as  Vritra  and  Drukhs.  In  the 
Zendavesta,  the  holy  spirit  (Spento-mainyus, 
i.  e.  Ormuzd),  and  the  evil  spirit  (Ahro-mainyus, 
i.  e.  Ahriman),  are  said  to  have  created  the  world. 

800.  Who  are  the  Devs  or  Divs  ? 

Spirits  whose  name  is  akin  to  the  Greek 
Theos,  and  the  Latin  deus.  The  Zoroastrians 
separated  from  the  worshippers  of  the  Devas, 
i.  e.  the  Vedic  deities,  and  they  declared  in  their 
confession  of  faith  in  the  Zendavesta  :  "  I  cease 
to  be  a  Deva  worshipper ;  I  profess  to  be  a  Zo- 
roastrian  worshipper  of  Ahuramazda,  an  enemy 
of  the  Devas,  and  a  devotee  to  Ahura."  The 
Persian  Aeshma  daeva  is  the  Asmodeus,  or  un- 
clean spirit,  of  the  book  of  Tobit. 


ODIN,  THOR,  AND  FKIGA. 


BTOKSE  MYTHOLOGY. 

801.  What  are  the  chief  features  of  Norse  Mythology  ? 
The  mythical  systems  of  the  tribes  of  North- 
ern Europe  are  substantially  the  same  as  that 
of  the  Greeks.  They  all  have  their  germ  in 
words  or  phrases  which  described  the  sights 
and  sounds  of  the  material  world  :  but  in  every 
country  the  stories  which  grew  out  of  this  germ 
were  modified  by  the  influences  of  soil  and  cli- 
mate. Thus  the  mythology  of  Northern  Europe 
assumed,  of  necessity,  a  sombre  and  gloomy 
character  ;  and  the  combat  of  Phoebus  with  Py- 


MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY.  275 

thon,  or  of  Indra  with  Vritra,  became  a  constant 
struggle  for  life  and  death. 

802.  In  what  story  is  this  struggle  described  ? 

In  the  Volsunga  Saga,  or  tale  of  the  Volsung, 
tfhich  was  afterward  remodelled  in  the  great 
epic  poem  called  the  Nibelungen  Lied,  or  Lay 
of  the  Children  of  the  Mist. 

803.  Who  is  the  hero  of  this  story? 

Sigurd,  the  son  of  Sigmund,  the  son  of  Vol- 
sung, a  descendant  of  Odin. 

804.  What  is  the  stoiy  of  his  birth  ? 

He  was  born  after  the  death  of  his  father, 
and  became  the  foster-child  of  Begin  (the  smith 
of  the  king  of  Denmark),  who  urged  him  on  to 
slay  the  dragon  Fafnir,  who  lay  coiled  on  the 
glistening  heath. 

805.  With  what  weapon  was  the  dragon  slain? 

With  a  sword  forged  by  Begin  from  the  bro- 
ken bits  of  Gram. 

806.  What  was  Gram  ? 

A  sword  which  Odin  himself  had  driven  up 
to  the  hilt  in  an  oak-tree,  to  be  taken  by  him 
who  should  be  strong  enough  to  draw  it  out.  It 
was  drawn  out  by  Sigmund  (the  father  of  Si- 
gurd), who  with  it  conquered  every  enemy,  until 


276  NOESE  MYTHOLOGY. 

Odin,  reappearing  in  disguise,  presented  a  spear 
against  which  it  snapped  in  twain. 

807.  What  followed  the  death  of  Faf nir  ? 

Sigurd  became  possessed  of  the  treasure 
which  lay  within  his  mighty  folds,  and  by  eat- 
ing his  heart  he  also  gained  a  wisdom  beyond 
that  of  mortal  men.  Going  on  his  way,  he  came 
to  a  heath,  in  the  midst  of  which  a  fierce  flame 
surrounded  a  house  in  which  the  fair  maiden, 
Brynhild,  lay  asleep.  Sigurd  rode  through  the 
fire,  and  at  his  touch  she  awoke.  They  then 
plighted  their  troth  to  each  other,  and  Sigurd 
rode  on  to  the  house  of  Giuki,  the  Niflung,  who 
determined  that  he  should  marry  his  daughter 
Gudrun,  and  that  Brynhild  should  become  the 
wife  of  his  son  Gunnar.  But  Gunnar  cannot 
ride  through  the  flame,  and  by  magic  arts  Si- 
gurd is  made  to  assume  the  form  and  voice  of 
Gunnar,  and  to  hand  over  Brynhild  to  him.  Dis- 
covering his  treachery,  Brynhild  urges  Gunnar 
to  slay  Sigurd ;  but,  as  in  the  case  of  B^ldr,  he 
and  his  brothers  had  sworn  not  to  lay  hands 
on  the  hero.  They  therefore  got  Guttorm  to 
do  that  which  they  could  not  do  themselves, 
and  thus  Sigurd  is  slain  during  his  sleep.  His 
death  reawakens  all  the  love  of  Brynhild,  who 
dies  heartbroken  on  his  funeral  pile. 


MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY.  277 

808.  What  Greek  heroes  does  Sigurd  resemble  ? 

In  some  or  all  of  his  characteristics,  he  is  the 
counterpart  of  Perseus,  Achilles,  Theseus,  Phoe- 
bus, Phaethon,  and  Odysseus. 

809.  To  what  incident  does  the  driving  of  the  sword 
Gram  into  the  oak  answer  ? 

To  the  hiding  away  of  the  sword  and  sandals 
which  ^Egeus  places  under  a  great  stone,  and  of 
which  Theseus  gets  possession  when  he  is  able 
to  lift  the  stone,  and  to  the  weapons  which  Her- 
acles leaves  with  Echidna. 

810.  What  is  the  sword  Gram  ? 

It  is  the  same  as  the  invincible  spear  of  Phoe- 
bus, and  answers  also  to  the  armor  forged  for 
Achilles  by  Hephaestus. 

811.  Who  gives  this  sword  Gram  to  Sigurd  ? 

His  mother  Hjordis,  just  as  Thetis  brings  to 
her  son  Achilles  the  armor  forged  by  He- 
phaestus. 

812.  What  is  the  slaughter  of  Fafnir  ? 

It  is  the  same  incident  as  the  slaying  of  Py- 
thon, Vritra,  the  Sphinx,  Minotaur,  and  Chi- 
maera. 

813.  To  what  does  the  wisdom  of  Sigurd  correspond  ? 

To  that  of  lamos  and  Melampus,  both  of 
whom,  also,  receive  it  from  serpents. 


278  NOESE  MYTHOLOGY. 

814.  Why? 

Because  the  word  "dragon"  meant  simply  a 
far-seeing  or  keen-sighted  being. 

815.  What  is  the  sleep  of  Biynhild? 

It  answers  to  the  slumber  of  Adonis  and  Osi- 
ris, and  to  the  inaction  of  the  Kore  (or  maiden) 
Persephone,  in  the  house  of  Hades. 

816.  How  is  Brynhild  won  ? 

After  the  slaughter  of  the  dragon,  just  as,  af- 
ter slaying  the  Libyan  monster,  Perseus  wins 
Andromeda,  and  the  death  of  the  Sphinx  leads 
to  the  marriage  of  CEdipus  with  locaste. 

817.  What  put  Brynhild  into  her  deep  sleep  ? 

She  was  wounded  with  a  thorn  by  Odin,  like 
Isfendiyar  in  the  Persian  epic.  This  thorn  of 
night  or  of  winter  answers  to  the  snake-bite 
which  kills  Eurydike  in  the  story  of  Orpheus. 

818.  What  is  the  desertion  of  Brynhild? 

It  is  only  another  form  of  the  desertion  of 
Ariadne  by  Theseus,  or  of  QEnone  by  Paris ; 
and  it  also  answers  to  the  separation  of  Odys- 
seus from  Penelope,  when  he  leaves  her  to  go 
to  Troy.  The  return  of  Sigurd  to  Brynhild,  in 
the  form  of  Gunnar,  answers  closely  to  the  re- 
turn of  the  disguised  Kephalos  to  Procris,  whom 
he  had  forsaken. 


MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY.  279 

819.  In  what  relation  does  Gudrun  stand  to  Brynhild  ? 
In  that  of  Deianeira  to  lole,  and  of  Helen  to 

CEnone.  The  desertion  is  in  each  case  followed 
by  vengeance.  Sigurd  dies,  like  Paris,  in  atone- 
ment for  his  sin.  In  each  case,  again,  the  death 
of  the  hero  revives  the  love  of  the  forsaken 
wife,  and  (Enone  and  Brynhild  die,  each  on  the 
funeral  pile  of  her  husband. 

820.  What  do  we  especially  notice  when  we  compare  this 
story  with  other  Teutonic  legends  ? 

That  the  poets  seemingly  could  not  escape 
from  the  charmed  circle  in  which  they  repro- 
duced, under  the  disguise  of  different  names, 
places,  and  incidents,  the  great  and  touching 
"  Tragedy  of  Nature." 

821.  Is  this  seen  in  the  mythical  history  of  the  descend- 
ants of  Sigurd  ? 

Yes.  The  story  is  told  over  again  in  the  case 
of  his  son,  who  is  called  Eagnar  Lodbrog.  Like 
Sigurd,  Eagnar  wins  his  first  wife  Thora  by  de- 
livering her  from  a  dragon ;  and,  like  Sigurd, 
he  forsakes  her. 

822.  What  became  of  Gudrun  in  the  Yolsung  tale  ? 

She  married  Atli,  the  brother  of  Brynhild ; 
but  when  Atli  slew  Gunnar  and  his  brothers, 
Gudrun  in  revenge  slew  her  children,  and  then 
killed  their  father  Atli  himself. 


280  NOESE  MYTHOLOGY. 

823.  Do  these  incidents  answer  to  any  in  Greek  myths  ? 

The  slaying  of  Atli's  children  is  repeated  in 
the  slaughter  of  the  children  of  Jason  by 
Medea. 

824.  Who  are  the  Niflungs  or  Nibelungs  ? 

They  are  the  dwellers  in  Niflheim,  the  land 
or  home  of  the  cold  mists  ;  in  other  words,  they 
answer  to  Phrixus  and  Helle,  the  children  of 
Nephele  (the  mist),  who  depart  with  the  treasure 
of  the  golden  fleece  just  as  the  Niflungs  take 
away  the  treasures  of  the  summer. 

825.  Who  was  Odin  ? 

A  deity  who  answered  to  the  Greek  Zeus,  and 
who  is  called  the  Alfadir,  or  Father  of  All.  His 
wife  is  called  Freya,  or  Friga,  and  she  is  the 
mother  of  Thor  and  Baldr.  The  names  of  Odin 
and  Freya  remain  in  our  Wednesday  and  Friday, 
and  that  of  Thor  in  Thursday. 

826.  How  is  Thor  represented  ? 

With  a  mighty  hammer,  as  Thor  Miolnir,  the 
pounder,  thus  answering  to  the  Greek  Aloadse 
and  the  Indian  Maruts. 

827.  What  is  the  legend  of  Baldr  ? 

He  was  the  most  beautiful  of  all  the  dwellers 
in  Valhalla,  but  although  all  the  other  gods  had 
sworn  not  to  hurt  him,  no  oath  had  been  taken 


MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY.  281 

from  Loki,  who  destroyed  him  with  the  mistle- 
toe. This  event  answers  to  the  slaying  of  Is- 
fendiyar  with  the  thorn,  and  of  Adonis  with  the 
boar's  tusk. 

828.  What  is  Loki? 

A  malevolent  deity,  described  as  the  great 
serpent  who  encircles  the  earth,  and  as  the 
father  of  Hela,  the  queen  of  the  regions  below 
the  earth. 

829.  What  is  Valhalla  ? 

The  home  of  Odin,  where,  like  Zeus  in  Olym- 
pus, he  dwells  with  all  the  ^Esir,  or  gods. 
Thither  are  brought  the  souls  of  all  heroes 
dying  on  the  battle-field. 

830.  Who  are  their  guides? 

The  beautiful  Yalkyries,  or  corse-choosers,  in 
whom  we  see,  in  a  higher  and  purer  form,  the 
Houris  of  the  Mahometan  paradise. 

831.  What  are  the  Noms  ? 

Three  sisters  who  answer  to  the  Fates  or 
Moerse  of  the  Greeks.  Their  names  are  Urd, 
Werdand,  and  Skuld  (or  Past,  Present,  and  Fu- 
ture). They  are  represented  as  beings  endowed 
with  a  sombre  but  touching  beauty. 

832.  What  is  the  Twilight  of  the  gods  ? 

This  phrase  was  used  to   denote   the  time 


282  NOESE  MYTHOLOGY. 

when,  as  it  was  supposed,  the  reign  of  Odin  and 
the  JEsir  would  come  to  an  end. 


833.  How  could  such  a  notion  spring  up  if  Odin  was  re- 
garded as  the  Great  Maker  of  all  things  ? 

Because  the  name  Odin  was  used,  perhaps, 
unconsciously,  in  more  than  one  sense.  Thus 
JEschylus  speaks  of  Zeus  as  the  Infinite  and 
Eternal  God,  whose  kingdom  can  never  have  an 
end ;  but  when  he  comes  to  speak  of  the  mythi- 
cal Zeus,  the  son  of  Cronos  and  husband  of 
Hera,  he  says  that  as  Zeus  dethroned  his  father, 
so  would  he  be  himself  deposed  by  a  descend- 
ant of  his  friend  Prometheus,  whom  he  had  so 
grievously  wronged.  This  overthrow  of  Zeus 
by  Heracles  answers  exactly  to  the  Norse  Twi- 
light of  the  gods. 


MYTHICAL  GENEALOGIES. 

THE  following  samples  of  mythical  genealo- 
gies, or  rather  of  portions  of  such  genealogies, 
are  given  chiefly  to  show  the  freedom  with 
which  the  several  Greek  States  or  cities  treated 
their  common  store  of  legendary  tales.  It  will 
be  seen  at  a  glance  that  the  several  lists  present 
the  same  names  in  quite  different  connections, 
but  that,  while  it  is  impossible  to  reduce  them 
to  an  historical  harmony,  they  agree  strictly 
with  the  mythical  phrases  which  furnished  the 
germ  of  these  genealogies,  in  which  gods,  he- 
roes, and  men  are  inextricably  mingled  together. 


284 


MANUAL  OP  MYTHOLOGY. 


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MYTHICAL  GENEALOGY  OF  THE  IAPETIDS.    285 


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MYTHICAL  GENEALOGY  OF  THE  PELOriDS.   287 


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288  MANUAL  OF  MYTHOLOGY. 


(5)  LACONIAN  GENEALOGY. 

Atlas 

Taygete  =  Zeus 
Laced  aemon 
Amyklas 
Kynortas 

Perieres 
I 

Tyndareus  =  Leda  Icarius 

|~~  ~~p~  ~~|  Penelope  =  Odysseus 

Castor       Polydeukes    Clytsemnestra  =  Agamemnon 


(6)  GENEALOGY  OF  THE 

Asopus 
Zeus  =  ^Eina  =  Aktor 


Menoatios 
j  Patroclos 


Peleus  =  Thetis  Telamon 

Achilles         |  j 

Ajax  Teucros 


MYTHICAL   GENEALOGIES.  289 


(7)  ATTIC  GENEALOGY. 
Hephaestus =Gaia 
Ereclitlieus 

i 


Keplialos^Procris         Kreusa 

Oreithyia  :=  Boreas 

Xuthus        Acliseus         Ion 

Zetes         Kala 

(8)  CRETAN  GENEALOGY. 

Phoenix 
Europa=Zeus 

Minos        Rnadamanthus        Sarpedon 
Ariadne = Dionysus  Deucalion  Androgeos 

(9)  THEBAN  GENEALOGY. 
Agenor — Telephassa 

Cadmus = Harmonia 

i 


Semele=Zeus 
Dionysus 

Agave 
Pentheus 

Polydorus 
Labdacos 

(Edipus 


Eteocles        Polyneikes  Antigone 


290  MANUAL   OF   MYTHOLOGY. 

(10)  TROJAN  GENEALOGY. 
Zeus 


Dardanus 

Ericlitiionius 
1 

Tros 
1 

Ilus 

1 

Assaracus 
1 

Ganymcdes 

Laomedon 

Priam  = 
1 

Capys 
HecabS    Anchiscs 

=  Aphrodite 

i 

Alexaudros  (Paris)=Helen    Hector = Andromache  ^Eneas 


INDEX. 


The  references  are  to  the  Questions. 


A  CHERON,  679,  680 

A    Achillas,  581 
Achilles,  14,  23,  41,  61,  577, 

&c.,  597,  605,  &c. 
AcrMos,  13,  312,  323,  &c. 
Actor,  651 
Admetus,  60,  206,  300,  443, 

448,  &c. 
Adonis,  154,  174,  &c.,  &c., 

641,  763 

Adrammelech,  759 
us,  519 
,  539 
,  59 

,  528 
^Egeus,  342 

,  145,  322,  634 
r,  443 

,  172,  217,  572,  619, 
702 

^Esculapius,  206,  440,  709 
Aeshma-daeva,  800 
uEsir,  829,  832 
^Ethiopia,  468,  469 
Aethlios,  463 
^Ethra,  342,  647,  660 
Agamemnon,  162,  579,  &c. 
Agave,  260,  410 
Agenor,  406 
Ages,  the  Five,  485 
Aglaia,  182 
Agni,  183,  184,  772 
Ahana,  129,  205 
Aharyu,  603 
Alii,  776 


Ahriman,  795,  &c.,  799  . 
Ahuromazdao,  797 
Aides,  72 
Aidoneus,  72 
Aisa,  728 
Ajax,  567 
Akersekom5s,  518 
Akria,  132 
Akshana,  507,  508 
Alcestis,  448 
Alcinous,  632 
Alcmseon,  526 
Alcmena,  262,  305 
Aleiaii  plain,  513,  514 
Alexandros,  561 
Alfadir,  825 
AlkSstis,  448,  &c. 
Alkinoils,  632 
Allecto,  386 
Aloadse,  650,  826 
Alpheius,  222,  530 
Althaea,  414,  &c. 
Amaltheia,  251. 
Amazons,  468,  472,  &c.,  53 
Ambrosia,  184,  492 
Amen-ra,  746 
Ammon,  251,  746 
Amphiaraos,  523 
Amphion,  489 
Amphitrlte,  67,  68,  780 
Amulms,  13 
Anadyomene,  157 
Anammglech,  759 
Anchlsus,  172 
Androgeos,  516 


292 


INDEX. 


AndromMa,  320,  335 
Andvari,  76 
Ananke,  370 
Anna  Perenna,  739 
Ahro-mainyus,  799 
Anteia,  511 
Antigone,  364,  390 
Anubis,  747 
Aornos,  721 

Aphrodite,  89,  154,  157,  &c., 
566,  &c.,  663 

—  Enalia,  167 

—  Ourania  and  Pandemos, 
167 

—  Pontia,  167 
Apis,  470,  750 

Apollo,  14,  46, 138, 186,  &c., 

705 

Apsyrtus,  542 
Arblm  or  Ribhu,  400 
Arcadia,  48,  426,  444 
Areas,  455 
Arctos,  455 
Arcturus,  456 
Areiopagus,  155 
Ares,  46,  147,  &c. 
Arete,  278 
Arete,  632 
Argthusa,  529,  &c. 
Argeiphontes,  471 
Argo,  540,  550 
Argonauts,  416,  537,  &c. 
Argos,  273,  574 
Argos  Panoptes,  465,  &c. 
Argos,  the  dog,  642 
Argynnis,  8,  161,  162,  767 
Ariadne,  16,  352,  353 
Arjuni,  161,  767 
Art6mis,      46,      215,      &c., 

569 

Arusha,  785 
Ascalaphos,  567 
Ashtaroth,  762 
Askleptos,  206, 440,  &c.,  449, 

492,  556 


Asmodeus,  800 

Astarte,  762 

Astrseus,  652 

Astyages,  13 

Asuro-mMhas,  797 

Atalanta,  418 

Ate,  364,  372,  570 

Athena,  46,  63,  89,  127,  &c., 

317,  318,  483 
Athens,  144 
Athamas,  539 
Atlas,  319,  647,  660 
Atli,  822 
Atropos,  371 
Auge,  11 
Aurora,  718 
Autochthon,  681 
Autolycus,  640 
Avatar,  788 
Avernus,  720 
Azi-dahaka,  793 


BAAL,  or  Bel,  755 
Bacchus,  710 
Baldr,  807,  825,  827 
Balios,  64,  438 
Beauty  and  the  Beast,  664 
Bellerophou,    23,    199,  471, 

509,  &c. 
Belleros,  471 
Bellona,  732 
Bhuranyu,  8,  236,  783 
Bona  Dea,  733 
Boreas,  652 
Bosporus,  468 
Brahm,  786 
Brahma,  786 
Briargos,  528 
Briareus,  528 
Brisaya,  412,  603,  767 
Briseis,  19,  412,  579,  613,  767 
Bronte,  30 
Brynhild,  16,  206,  287,  335, 

336,  500,  807,  &c. 


INDEX. 


293 


nABEIRA,  G68 
VJ     Cabciri,  COS 
Cficus,  711,  &c. 
Cadmus,  11,  406,  &c. 
Cseculus,  715 
Caecias,  the  wind,  715 
Calchas,  568,  571 
Calliope,  398,  656 
Callisto,  455 
Calos,  486 

Calydoiiian  boar-hunt,  417 
Calypso,  631 
CamCnse,  734 
Capta,  132 
Casandra,  562 
Castor,  667 

Cattle  of  Helios,  431,  631 
Cecrops,  681 
Centaur,  19,  275,  498 
Cephalus,  16,  394 
Cerberus,  78,  399,  714 
Ceres,  694,  713 
Chaos,  28 
Charis,  182 
Charites,  19,  164,  434 
Charon,  678 
Charybdis,  631 
Cheiron,  274,  441 
Chemosh,  760 
Chimera,  14 
Chrysaor,  198 
Chrysels,  579 
Cicones,  627 
Circe,  630 
Cleio,  656 
Cleopatra,  428,  429 
Clotho,  371 
Clymene-,  428 
Clytgemnestra,  570 
Cocytus,  679,  680 
Consentes,  731 
Consus,  740 
Coronts,  206,  440,  &c. 
Corybantes,  669 
Creon,  354 


Cretan  Labyrinth,  351,  486, 

&c. 

Cretheus,  533 
Crisa,  203 

Cromuiyoman  sow,  346 
Cronos,  25,  28,  30,  31,  33,  39, 

716 

Cumsean  Sibyl,  720 
Curetes,  419 
Cybele",  670 
Cyclopes,  30,  38,  40,  72,  627, 

649 
Cyrus,  13,  443,  793 


DACTYLI,  669 
DaBdtXlus,  486,  &c. 
Dagon,  765 

Dahana,  129,  205,  368,  767 
Danae,  76,  312 
Danai,  717 
Daphne,  18,  204,  767 
Dasyu,  374 
Daunii,  717 

Deianeira,  286,  288,  819 
Deimos,  171 
Delos,  10,  37,  126,  191,  192, 

412 

Delphi,  196,  202 
DemSter,  46,  103,  &c.,  251 
Demophoon,  112,  113 
Deucalion,  39,  458,  &c.,  544 
Devs,  or  Divs,  800 
Dia,  494,  &c. 
Diana,  92,  706 
Dianus,  92 
Diets,  33,  37,  251 
Dictys,  312 
Dido,  739 
Dii  Consentes,  731 
Dii  Indigetes,  730 
Diomedes,  567 
Dionysus,  250,  &c.,  353,  665 
Dione,  158,  25JL 
Dioscuri,  667 


294 


INDEX. 


Dis,  692 

Dodona,  48 

Dolios,  634,  &c.,  642 

Dragon,  557,  813,  844 

Drukhs,  798 

Dualism,  792 

Dyaus,  34,  42,  160,  377,  508, 

692 
Dyauspftar,  35 


ECHO,  535 
Echidna,    14,  19,    201, 
301,  302,  776,  793 
Egeria,  735 
Electra,  655 

Eleusinian  mysteries,  118 
Eleusis,  110,  115, 126 
Elysium,  410 
Endymion,  9, 10,  190,  463 
Enlpeus,  532 
Eiioslchtnon,  57 
Enyalios,  654 
Enyo,  654 
Enna,  75,  126 
Eos,  394,  575,  652,  767 
Epaphus,  468 
Ephialtes,  650 
Epigoni,  527 
Epinietheus,  480,  &c. 
Erato,  656 
Erebus,  653 
Erechtheus,  392,  393 
Erinyes,  386 

Erinys,  234,  363,  387,  767 
EriphylB,  525 
Eris,  171,  565 

Eros,  171,  178,  661,  664,  785 
Erymanthian  boar,  283 
Eteocles,  364,  525 
Ethiopia,  468 
Eurnseus,  633 
Eumenides,  365,  386,  727 
Eunomus,  288,  289 
Europa,  11,  349,  406,  &c. 


Euiyanassa,  493 
Eurycleia,  640,  &c. 
Eurydice,  205,  399 
Eurydike,  205,  399,  &c.,  817 
Euryme'don,  11 
Euryphassa,  11 
Eurystheus,  14,  266 
Eurytus,  11,  279,  651 
Euterpe,  656 
Evadne,  519,  &c. 


FAFNIR,  15,  69,  201,  334, 
777,  804,  812 
Fates,  728 
Fauna,  733 
Faunus,  733 
Favonius,  659,  742 
Feridiin,  793 
Freya,  or  Friga,  825 
Friday,  825 
Frost  giants,  649 


GAIA,  28,  30 
Gateochos,  57 
Gandharvas,  276,  505 
Ganymede's,  475 
Garanus,  711 
Genii,  729 
Geryon,  714 
Giants,  649 
Gigantes,  649 
Giuki,  807 
Glaucus,  572 
Glauke,  354,  544 
Glaukopis,  145 
Golden  Fleece,  416,  538,  552 
Gorgon,   14,   145,  316,  508, 

555 

Graces,  164,434,  779 
Gradlvus,  741 
Graise,  302,    317,  318,  332, 

333,  654 
Gram,  445, 806,  &c. 


INDEX. 


295 


Gudrun,  287,  807,  819,  &c. 
Gunnar,  807,  822 
Guttorm,  807 


HADES,  40,  70,  &c.,  105 
Hsenaon,  391 
Halirrhothios,  156 
Hamadryads,  646 
Harinonra,  171,  410,  525,  &c. 
Hants,  59,  165,  434,  779 
Har-pi-chruti,  749 
Harpies,  283,  655,  673 
Harpocrates,  749 
Heb5,  88,  671 
HecSbe,  560,  &c. 
Hecaergos,  210 
Hecate,  106,  211 
Hecatos,  210 
Hector,  572,  587,  594 
Hecuba,  560 
Helen,  170,  234,  601,  767 
Heliades,  648 

Helios,  55,  107, 188,  429,  &c. 
Helle,  539,  824 
Hellen,  462 
Hellespont,  539,  578 
Helli,  578 
Hemgra,  158 
Hephaestus,  46,  88,  127, 131, 

179,  &c. 

Hera,  46,  58,  82,  &c.,  181 
Heracles,  14,  16,  23,  80,  262, 

&c.,  306,  468 
Hercules,  711,  &c. 
Herctilus,  711 
Hermes,   19,   114,  221,  &c., 

401,458,708 
Herodotus,  475,  &c. 
Herse,  396,  681 
Hesiod,  483 
Hesioneus,  494,  &c. 
HespSrMes,  285,  332 
Hesperus,  666 
Hestia,  46,  94,  &c. 


Hialprek,  185 

Hipponous,  509 

Hjordis,  811 

Homeric  Geography,  644 

Horse,  164 

Horus,  749 

Houris,  830 

Human  Sacrifices,  617 

Hupnos,  573,  674 

Hyades,  647 

Hydra,  283 

Hymen,  672 

Hyperborean  Gardens,  319, 

350,  389 
Hyperion,  28,  548 

IACCHOS,  710 
lalrngnos,  567 
lamtdee,  519 
lamos,  282,  460,    519,  &c., 

524,  813, 814 
lapStus,  28 
Icarus,  486,  &c. 
Ida,  33,  377,  561 
Ilia,  700 

Iliad,  578,  597,  616 
Ilion,  558 

Inachus,  465,  &c.,  489 
Indigetes,  730 
Indra,  15,  19,  349,  367,  368, 

557,  602,  622,  774 
Ino,  252,  539 
lo,  251,  465,  &c. 
lobates,  513 
locaste,  282,  362,  &c.,  367, 

373,  460 
lolcos,  544 

1615,  16,  278,  280,  293,  460 
IphigSnela,  217,  218,  568 
Iris,  673,  785 
Ischys,  441 
Isfendiyar,  176,  817 
Ishtar,  762 
Isis,  470,  748 
Ixlon,  8,  93,  494,  &c. 


296 


INDEX. 


TANUS,  707 
eJ    Jason,  352,  540,  &c.,  618, 

823 

Juno,  90,  688,  &c. 
Jupiter,  16,  685,  &c.,  713 
Jupiter  Elicius,  687 

—  Pluvius,  687 

—  Terminus,  687 
Juventas,  671 

KAIKIAS,  715 
Kakia,  278 
Kakias,  715 
Kebren,  563 
Keleos,  110,  118 
Kephalos,  16,  394,  &c.,  818 
Kepheus,  322 
Kerberos,  78,  399 
Kikones,  627 
Kirke,  630 
Kokutos,  679,  680 
KorB,  121,  815 
Koryphasta,  132 
Kneph,  746 
Krishna,  789 
,  670 
,  222 


T  ABYRINTH    of    Crete, 
JL    352,  486,  &c. 
Lachgsis,  371 
Ladon,  666 
Laertes,  567 
Lsestrygonians,  630 
Laios,  13,  326,  358,  374 
LampetiS,  431,  631 
Laocoon,^ 

Laomgdon,  60,  61,  325 
Lares,  722 
Larvae,  725 
Laverna,  736 
Latium,  717 
Latmos,  10,  192,  463 
Latona,  10,  705 
Leda,  705 


Lemures,  725 

Lernaean  Hydra,  283 

Lethe,  679,  680 

L5to,  10,  46,  191,  489,  &c. 

Loki,  827,  828 

Lotophagi,  or  Lotos-eaters, 

627 

Luc6rius,  686 

Lycia,  126,  192,  412,  454,  574 
Lycians,  48,  454 
Lucna,  195,  454 
Luna,  195,  454 
Lyction,  450,  &c. 
Lykegenes,  10, 192,  454 


MACUSI  Indians,  4 
Mahadeo,    or    Maha- 

deva,  787 
Maia,  221 
Mamers,  698 
Manes,  724 
Manu,  459,  462,  791 
Mars,  152,  697,  741,  781 
Maruts,  152,  781,  826 
Matuta,  695 
Mayors,  698 
Medeia,  or  M5d6a,  352,  476, 

492,  540,  &c.,  553,  823 
Medusa,   14,  145,  316,  &c., 

331,490 
Megaera,  386 
Megapenthes,  324 
Melampus,  523 
Melanthios,  634 
Melantho,  642 
Meleager,  199,  414 
Meleagros,  199, 414,  &c.,  583, 

604 

Melpomene,  656 
Memnon,  575 
Menelaus,  170,  564,  &c. 
Mercury,  708 
Merope,  358 
Metaneira,  112, 113 


INDEX. 


297 


Milcom,  759 
Minerva,  147, 148,  695 
Minos,  462,  517,  791 
Minotaur,  14,  348 
McercB,  371,  415 
Moira,  371 
Moliones,  651 
Moloch,  755,  758,  &c. 
Moneta,  690,  696 
Morpheus,  674 
Mulctber,  741 
Muses,  656 
Myrmidons,  593,  606,  &c. 


NAECISSUS,  535,  &c. 
Naubandhana,  459 
Nausicaa,  632 
Neaira,  431 
Nebo,  761 
Nectar,  191,  492 
Neith,  752 
Neleus,  532 
Nemesis,  535 
NephSlB,  539,  824 
Neptune  (Neptunus),  691 
Nereus,  55, 188,  429,  691 
Nestor,  567 
Nessus,  290,  &c.,  552 
Nibelungen  Lied,  345,  643, 

802 

Nibelungs,  345,  824 
Niflheim,  824 
Niflungs,  125,  824 
Niobe,  489 
Nisus,  461,  515,  &c. 
Norns,  831 
Numa,  735 
Nysa,  254 


OANNES,  765 
Odin,  345,  806,  825,  832 
Odysseus,  297,  582,  620,  &c., 
636,  641 


(Eagros,  398 

(Edlpus,  13,  20,  357,  &c. 

(Eneus,  414 

(Enone, 16,  206, 563,  &c.,  599 

Ogyges,  459 

Ogygia,  631 

Olympus,  108 

Ops,  716 

Oreithyia,  652         -^— 

Orestes,  570  £ 

Orion,  657 

Ormuzd,  795,  &c. 

Orpheus,  398,  &c. 

Orthros,  78,  778 

Ortygia,  126,  193,  &c.,  219, 

412,  453,  530 
Osiris,  748,  815 
Otos,  650 

Ouranos,  28,  29,  30,  771 
Outis,  629 


PAIEON,  440 
Pallas,  138,  658 
Pales,  726 
PaHcl,  726 
Pan,  659 
Pandareos,  491 
Pandora,  142,  483,  &c. 
Pani,  602,  767 
Parcffi,  727 
Paris,  13,  18,  19,  89, 170, 560, 

&c.,  599,  602,  604 
Parnassus,  202,  458 
Parthenon,  146 
PasiphSe,  348,  349 
Patroclos,  438,  573,  585,  608, 

&c. 

Pegasus,  512 
Pelasgus,  450 
Peleus,  64, 171,  565 
Pelias,  534,  &c.,  540,  543 
Pelops,  491 
Penates,  723 
PeneTus,  204 


298 


INDEX. 


Penelope,  351,  487,  622,  &c., 

633,  639 
Pentheus,  258 
Periphetes,  346 
Perseus,  13,  14,  23,  73, 199, 

249,  304,  &c. 
Persephone,  74, 104,  116,177, 

355 

Persephassa,  74 
PhaSthon,  428,  438 
Phaethusa,  431,  631 
Phoeakia,  631,  644 
Phmeus,  321 

PhiloctetSs,  199,  297,  338  _, 
PhlegSthon,  679,  680 
Phlegyas,  440,  449 
Phoebus,  10,  14,  16,  37,  55, 

186,  &c.,  518 
Phoanix,  the  bird,  754 
Phoanix,  406,  412,  460,  582 
Phoenicia,  407,  412,  453,  574, 

644 
Phoroneus,  8,  236,  485,  489, 

783 

Phrixus,  538,  &c.,  824 
Phtliah,  752 
Picas,  738 
Picumnus,  739 
Pierides,  656 
Piei-os,  656 
Pilumnus,  739 
Pirene,  512 
Pleiades,  660 
Pluto,  692 
Pollux,  460,  667 
Polybus,  358 
Polydectes,  14,  76,  312,  315, 

322,  325 

Polydegmon,  76,  326 
Polydeukes,  460,  667 
Polymetis,  487 
Polymnia,  656 
Polyneikes,  364,  525 
Polyphemus,  384,  492,  628 
Pomona,  738 


Pontus,  28,  56 

Poseidon,  40,  52,  &c.,  96, 325 

Potato,  57 

Prsetus,  511 

Pramantha,  474,  703 

Priam,  13,  562,  &c.,  596 

Priapus,  663 

Procris,    16,  217,  392,  &c., 

405, 818 
Procrustes,  346 
Prodicus,  the  Sophist,  277 
Prometheus,    39,    141,    236, 

458,  467,  &c.,  783 
Proteus,  257,  662,  668,  765 
Proserpina,  692 
Protogeneia,  462,  &c. 
Prytaneium,  99 
Psyche,  664 
Psychopompos,  244 
Pyriphleggthon,  679,  680 
Pyrrha,  458,  460 
Python,  14,  69,  200,  201 


.UIRINUS,  701 


T)A,753 


Ragnar  Lodbrog,  821 
Recaranus,  711,  713 
Regin,  185,  345,  804 
Remus,  699,  &c. 
Ribhu,  400 
Rishis,  the  Seven,  457,  459, 

782 

Romulus,  13,  443,  699,  &c. 
Rudra,  789 
Rustem,  15, 176 


QALMONEUS,  553 

k5     Sarama,  231,  233,  574, 

601,  767 
Saranyu,  232,  387,  388,  767 


INDEX. 


290 


Sarpr-don,  232,  373,  &c.,  574 

Sarvara,  79,  714 

Saturn,  716 

Savitar,  790 

Scylla,  462,  515,  631 

Seirens,  631 

Selene,  9 

Selli,  578 

Seined,  251,  252,  253,  261 

Semo  Sancus,  739 

Serapis,  751 

Set,  or  Seth,  748 

Seven  Sages,  457 

Shamas,  760 

Shemesh,  760 

Sidero,  533 

Sigurd,  15,  16,  69,  76,  185, 

287,  302,  604,  803,  &c. 
Sigmund,  345,  803,  &c. 
Sitenus,  677 
Silvanus,  738 
Sinis,  346 
Sintians,  181 
Sipylns,  491 
Sisyphus,  510 
Siva,  786,  &c. 
Skuld,  832 

Skylla,  462,  515,  &c.,  631 
Soiymi,  513 

Spento-mainyus,  797,  799 
Sphinx,  14,  20,201,  360,  &c., 

378,  &c.,  492,  777 
SteropS,  30 
Stymphalus,  283 
Styx,  679,  680 
SymplSgades,  540 

rpAMANAKS,  464 
1     Tammuz,  174,  763 
Tantalus,  20,  289,  491,  &c. 
Tartarus,  30 

Telemachus,  438,  634,  &c. 
Telephassa,  11,  406,  &c. 
Telephus,  11 
Telpkusa,  200 


Terminus,  687 

Terpsichore,  656 

Teutanudas,  323 

Thaleia,  656 

Thanatos,  300,  448,  573 

Thaumas,  655 

Thebes,  409 

Thgmis,  191 

Theogonies,  48 

Thermodon,  472 

Theseus,  14,  16,  23,  199,  802, 

341,  &c.,  365 
Thetis,  58,  170. 
Thetis,  529,  565,  590 
Thor,  825 

Thor  Miolnir,  651,  781,  826 
Thora,  821 
ThraStana,  69 
Thrige,  230,  246 
ThrinakTa,  631 
Thucydides,  478 
Thursday,  825 
Thyon5,  261 
Tiphy^,  540 
Tiryns,  324 
Tisiphone,  386 
TitarSsius,  49 
Titans,  38 
Tithonos,  576 
Tiu,  35 
Traitana,  69 
Trimurti,  786 
Triptolgnius,  113 
Trita,  68, 135,  780 
Tritopator,  68 
Tritogeneia,  68,  133,  780 
Triton,  68, 133 
Trolls,  649 
Troy,  558,  &c. 
Troy,  Tale  of,  600,  &c. 
Tuesday,  35 

Twilight  of  the  gods,  833 
Typhaon,  200 
Typhon,  384 
Tyro,  532 


300 


INDEX. 


TTRANIA,  656 

U     Uranus,  28,  771 

Urd,  831 

Ushas,  719,  767,  784 


T7ALHALLA,  829 

V    Valkyries,  380 
Varuna,  29,  770,  &c. 
Venus,  702,  &c. 
Vertumnus,  738 
Verethra,  793 
Verethragna,  793 
Vesta,  102,  693 
Vishnu,  786,  &c. 
Volsung,  803 
Volsunga  Saga,  802 
Vritra,  15,  79,  201,  334,  383, 

775,  &c. 
Vritrahan,  793 
Vulcan,  183,  704,  741 


-\T7EATHERSKY,  662 
TT    Wednesday,  825 


Werdand,  831 
Wooden  Horse,  676 


VANTHOS,  the  horse,  64, 

A    438,  592 

Xanthos,  the  stream,  574 

Xerxes,  202 

Xisuthrus,  459,  764 


,  79,  778 


ZAGREOS,  665 
Zephyrus,  673 
Zeus,  24,  &c.,  40,  41,  46,  58, 

77,  129,  482,  771 
Zeus-pater,  35 
Zeus  Ephestfos,  50 

Horios,  687 

Horkios,  50 

Xenios,  50 

Zio,  35 
Zohak,  69,  793 


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